The IAPOA mourns the death of active duty member Michele Marie (O’Brien) Nowak who died suddenly on Saturday.
Obituary from O’Donnell Funeral Service.
Obituary for Michele Marie (O’Brien) NowakFebruary 15, 1963 – September 23, 2017
Middleton, Massachusetts | Age 54MIDDLETON – Mrs. Michele Marie (O’Brien) Nowak 54, a Reserve Police Officer with the Boxford and Middleton Police Departments, beloved wife of Mark E. Nowak, died unexpectedly due to a cardiac incident, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 in New Hampshire.
Born in Salem, she was the daughter of the late Paul A. and Mary E. (Riley) O’Brien. She was raised and educated in Beverly and was a graduate of Beverly High School, Class of 1982. She continued her education at Salem State College.
Officer Nowak began her career in Law Enforcement with the Essex County Sheriff Department. Following her marriage to her beloved Mark and the start of her family, she focused her energies to raising her beloved children. She loved being a mom and wife. When the kids were older she went back to work as a Reserve Police Officer with the Town of Boxford Police Department in 2005 and became the DARE Officer in 2008 for the Town of Boxford interacting with the children and educating them on the dangers of drugs and alcohol. A role she cherished and took very seriously. In 2007, she joined the Middleton Police Department as a Reserve Officer and was currently a member of both Police Departments. Her professional and personal wisdom had a profound impact on the Tri-Town Community. Michele was very proud of being a police officer. She was well respected professionally by her superiors and her contemporaries and liked by all. She loved the people she worked with and took extraordinary pride in making her communities a better and safer place to live.
Mrs. Nowak was active in professional and civic circles. She was the former President of the Massachusetts DARE Association. She was a long-time member of the Recreation Commission in the Town of Middleton and was a dedicated communicant of St. Agnes’s Church in Middleton. A friend of Bill W., for over 29 years, Michelle enjoyed the fellowship, community and friends she made over the years, it was a cornerstone in her life.
Above all else in her life, family always came first. She was a loving wife, mother, sister and aunt who loved to spend time with her family. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed spending her free time fishing and snowmobiling with her family. Her children were the center of her life. She was ultimately proud of them and their accomplishments. They were her world.
he found a best friend and partner in her devoted husband Mark and they had a deep love for each other. Mark and his wife spoke on the phone everyday while he was at sea. They were a wonderful team together and showered each other with love and affection.
Michele was a kind hearted, caring person who always had a smile on her face. She was a special individual who devoted her life to helping others and cared for all those around her. She will be remembered for her zest for life, her magnificent smile, her dedication to her community and her commitment to her husband and children. She will be deeply missed and always remembered. Michele is survived by her loving husband of 25 years Mark Nowak of Middleton, her daughter Allyson Mary Nowak of Middleton, her son Christopher George Nowak of Middleton, her sister Marissa Mears of Salem, her brother Kevin O’Brien of Beverly, her mother-in-law, Renate Nowak of Salem and many nieces and nephews and her fellow Officers and her many dear friends. She was the daughter-in-law of the late Salem City Councilor and Danvers Police Officer George A. Nowak.ARRANGEMENTS: Her funeral will be held from the Peterson-O’Donnell Funeral Home, 167 Maple St., (rte 62) Danvers, Thursday, Sept. 28th at 9 A.M. followed by her funeral Mass in St. Richard Church, Forest St., Danvers at 10 A.M. Relatives and friends invited. Burial in Oakdale Cemetery, Middleton. Visiting hoursWednesday Sept. 27th from 4 to 8 P.M. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com