Daria L. O'Donnell

Daria (Katherine) Lupo O'Donnell April 15, 1939 - July 29, 2024 After a year of health trials and tribulations, Daria passed away in the company of her children and their spouses at Maine Medical Center on July 29, 2024. Born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, to Louis and Alice Lupo, Daria was the youngest of three siblings, including Bobby and Rosalie. Rosalie would tell you that she was always adventurous and had all the confidence in the world. Daria graduated from Wellesley High School and, despite being awarded an art scholarship in New York, chose to remain in Massachusetts and work as a dental assistant. Through her brother Bobby, she met Shawn O'Donnell on a trip to Caribou, Maine. Shawn, no stranger to Massachusetts, pursued Daria, and they became engaged and married in August of 1965. Together, Daria and Shawn built a life in Caribou, first in a small apartment where they welcomed their eldest daughter, Kimberly, and later on Rose Street as Louis joined the family. Daria excelled in homemaking; she was the consummate hostess known for exquisite bridge nights and family dinners with formal place settings that rivaled any five-star restaurant. She was a traditional Italian cook, renowned for her skillful improvisation in the kitchen, creating memorable meals for family, friends, and anyone who crossed her threshold. Daria took great pride in her Italian heritage, passing down her culinary expertise to both of her children. Even in her later years, she delighted in teaching Kim's adult friends how to make homemade "tootlings" (tortellini). She also enjoyed spirited debates over the correct way to make pesto with her daughter-in-law, Sharon. Daria was also a talented artist; she painted, worked with ceramics, and crafted unique creations. She hand-painted wedding invitations for Nancy and Louis, and her hand-knitted sweaters with intricate cable patterns became treasured heirlooms among friends and family. She lovingly knit blankets and booties for extended family, friends, and many of the teachers Kim supervised during her tenure as a principal. One of Daria's greatest joys was the arrival of her grandsons, Patrick Kane and Evan Tyler. She cherished their visits from South Korea each summer, spending days with them by the pool and on train rides. To her, they were always "her little boys," even as they grew into adulthood. She and Shawn even traveled across the world to South Korea to visit Louis, Nancy, and the boys during their time overseas and followed them across the US. After Shawn's passing in 2018, Daria found a new community at Ashton Gardens, where she recreated a sunny replica of her Gorham home in her apartment, which she called home for nearly five years. Here, she forged new friendships and made cherished memories, though she deeply missed Shawn. Recently, due to declining health, she moved to Gorham House, where she had just begun to rebuild a community of friends. Our family is profoundly grateful to the staff at Gorham House for their compassionate care during her final months. Daria is survived by her daughter, Kimberly O'Donnell, and wife, Sharon Martin, of Portland, Maine, her son, Louis O'Donnell, wife Nancy, and grandsons Patrick and Evan of Conroe, Texas. She is also survived by her sister, Rosalie Sparrow & husband Sid, many cousins,nieces,nephews, great nieces and nephews. Her absence will be deeply felt by all whose lives she touched, yet the memories we hold dear will surely help lighten our grief.