Lori Bresnahan

Lori was instrumental in our decision to adopt our daughter from China. I will never forget her willingness to talk to us (strangers at the time) and eagerness to help us in any way. She was a shining light. I mourn the loss of her and pray deeply for her child’s healing. If anyone know what we can do for her child, please share. Erin Lore

Lori was one of the nicest and most enthusiastic people I have ever met. She was one of my adjunct professors in my Literacy Master’s program at SUNY Oswego and it was clear that she loved talking about books and about kids. There is no question that she made a difference with her life and others would do well to follow her example of pursuing their passions and remembering to smile. I remember that near the end of our course, she told me that she had been talking about me to another colleague because, as she put it, “You’re going to change some lives.” It was one of the nicest compliments I have ever received and while she never knew, I have always remembered it. I said, and will continue to say, special prayers for Lori, her child, and the rest of her family.

I met Lori and her mom, Mary, when she came shopping at JCP. I always looked forward to talking to them when they came shopping. She will definitely be missed. My thoughts go out to her mom and child. I will always remember her smiling face. RIP.

I met Lori years ago when she was adopting her child. She was so excited while waiting for the arrival of her precious child. I would then see her in church. She truly “glowed” when talking about her child, and life in general. So sad for us all, especially her family, to have lost such a truly positive and beautiful person.

May your child receive your love from above, and recover from the trauma and be surrounded by the love of family and friends. The community truly mourns for your loss.

I am grateful to Lori for the love of reading & learning that she helped instill in my child and for her commitment toward demonstrating to young children what librarianship has the potential to be. Lori helped convey a sense of awe in my child over the amazing & incredible opportunities we have before us through education, reading and community. The fond stories my child came home to tell will remain very fond memories. I will also remember Lori for being someone who did not take life for granted, who was compassionate, kind and welcoming, who clearly loved her own child more than anything and who took the time to appreciate life and family in even the smallest moments. These are the ways in which she inspired me and through which I hope to honor her. My heart breaks for her child, family & friends and for all the people whose lives she touched. She will be deeply missed.

I do not know the victims or the family, but am stunned that something like this happened in our community. I am deeply saddened by this tragedy, and am sending prayers of support and healing to those close to Lori and her child.

Father, I don’t know this family personally, but my heart breaks with them Dear Lord. Father You know the reason why they weep today. Your Word says You are our comforter, the God of all comfort, You are close to those whose hearts are breaking. So come alongside them Dear Lord in their pain, be their strength that they need in this hour.
Father, I am asking for You to Hold this precious child close to Your heart Father, I pray, that the child sense Your omnipresence right now in Jesus name, forever, and always. Amen.

Lori babysat for our two children while they were growing up in Liverpool. She was the sweetest young lady, and everyone in the family just loved having her in our home, both watching the children and when Lori would just pop in for a visit. We are extremely saddened by this tragedy and our hearts and prayers go out to everyone in the Bresnahan family.

The Boles Family

The entire community is overwhelmed with grief for such senseless acts of violence! Thank you for establishing a memorial fund! I did not have the great fortune of working with Lori. i believe i have attended conferences and meetings with her. i am grieving as a parent, for our profession, community and society as a whole! I look forward to getting to know Lori through your posts! Keep the memories alive! May we all request prayers for healing her amazingly courageous child?

I did not know Lori, but this gave me great sadness. My family and I are praying for her brave child and her family.We did light a candle in her memory tonight at 9pm.

I met Lori when she was looking for a summer job at Waldenbooks in Great Northern Mall. I was interviewing her but the interview quickly turned into a very long conversation that didn’t have anything to do with the job. It did feel like we had known each other forever as someone else mentioned. She talked to me about getting a degree as a school librarian – something I’d never considered and no one else had ever suggested before. I kept working in bookstores for a couple of years while I took the GRE and applied to SU. I owe her a lot for changing my future path. I’ve been a school librarian for 13 years and it’s because of Lori. We became good friends that summer and sang together in the Liverpool Community Choir for a few years. I celebrated with her when she adopted her child from China and even after I moved out of state we would keep in touch and I would sometimes visit when I was back in NY. She was the kindest, most loving person and would help anyone who needed it. I hate that violence had to take the life of such a caring individual. Prayers to her family.

Prayers are with all who have been touched by this story. Lori’s family, child, those at the gymnastics center, and the mall, and the community. We don’t experience this kind of grief and it hurts to think it could happen in our town. Please reach out and do good, send a smile, a wave, or pass on a kind word, or just pray. It is the least we can do, to heal. God bless.

The entire Harrington family have broken hearts tonight. My two sisters and I all had Lori as our librarian at KPS. She was warm and always smiling. She touched our lives 25 years ago I can’t imagine how many lives she has touched and helped mold since then. What a horrible unexplainable tragedy. My prayers and love go out to her family. Heaven has gained another angel but we could always use to keep some more here :(

I can’t tell you how absolutely shocked and saddened I am to hear about this. I went to high school with Lori and she was the nicest, most upbeat person, that always had a smile on her face. This is an absolute tragedy and my thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends and coworkers. May god bless you all.

I have known Lori and her family since I was a young child. I recently had an opportunity to see her again and we talked as though not a day had gone by since we had last seen each other, even though it had been several years. Lori was the most positive, caring, sincere person I have ever met and I was always envious by how beautiful a person she was, inside and out. Whenever I thought of Lori in the past and how I will always remember her is a ray of sunshine. She always brought out the best in people and she will be missed immensely. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Bresnahan and Senke families. She truly is an angel of God now and I know she’s watching over all of us with that beautiful smile.

My children attended Kingsford Park School in Oswego where Ms. Bresnahan was the Librarian. For seven years I saw her interact with the children, parents and staff of KPS. She was always so happy, energetic and passionate about reading. She coordinated a Library Club for the children and nurtured their love for books. She was an outstanding woman and a tremendous influence on the children she interacted with. She will be greatly missed, but her contributions to students’ lives will live on.

Lori’s picture says it all. That is exactly how I remember her. Always smiling and happy to greet anyone who walked into the Library.

I remember when Lori adopted her child. She was so very proud and always showing pictures. Love and healing prayers for her family. I am so very sorry for your loss. It is a great one.

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” ~From a headstone in Ireland

I am so very very sorry, I did not know Lori, nor her child but my very soul is touched and saddened by this horrible senseless act. Lori must have been a wonderful woman to have touched so many, so deeply. My prayers go out to all those who must bear this loss.

Lori was the kind of person that prayed, shared and cared for all children in the world.

My association/friendship came when she selected a very loving and nurturing academic environment for her adoptive child. She found that in St. Margaret’s School. I had the privilege of working in her child’s Pre-K classroom.

Lori volunteered her time and talents selflessly at St. Margaret’s School. She recommended and sent wonderful books to her child’s teacher, Mrs. Ann Demlein. She also served occasionally as Mystery Reader. Again, focusing on the very young reader.

While shopping last week, I met Lori and her child and reminded them of the mother/daughter presentation they gave in the classroom on Chinese Culture. They had shared a Chinese New Year celebration with classmates. A wonderful and enriching day full of smiles, and blessings that were sure to touch young lives and last a lifetime.

Many thoughts and healing prayers go out to Lori’s family. Please know that her kindness and loving memory will live on in my heart.
-Mrs. Caroline DuBrava-Cox

Oh, Lori,
Thank you for the friendship freely offered to all you came in contact with. Thank you for the many times before school when we would gather in your “back room” in the CHE library for coffee, tea, treats, and sharing. Thank you for helping me through a difficult time – and always being available to listen, encourage, and love. Thank you for your love of children that radiated through your students of all ages. Thank you for sharing the love of your child – who through your love, became ours, too. Thank you for being all that you could be, sharing your faith freely, and always being trustworthy and kind. We are so blessed to having known you and are better people today for having been your friend.
Your mother was an amazing lady! I am sure that you know that and even more so now as I am sure she did all she could to protect you from harm. Many of us have been touched and been loved by your mother in various ways; and we love you, too, for we feel that we know you. At times when you are sad, remember your mother’s smile and know that she would want you to smile, too, and to be happy. Your mother surrounded you with many friends and loving cousins and helped you to be all that you could be in your short 10 years. These are wonderful gifts and these will carry you through the coming years.
To Lori’s mom and family members, may God be with you now and always. As the days go by, may you be at peace knowing that Lori is with God, and together they are shining their love upon you as you continue to love each other and care for Lori’s child.

Many Blessings,
Rev. Patti Walz, United Methodist pastor, former Music Teacher at CHE

For a year I had the privilege of being a colleague of Lori’s when she worked for the Syracuse City School District. During conversations with her, I found her to be friendly and warm. I was shocked and deeply saddened by what happened to her. All of my prays go out to her family.

I remember when Lori was in the Liverpool Community Chorus.
She always greeted everyone with that beautiful smile.
The Senke Family always provided their friends with many happy memories. Our dear friend Peg Senke recently passed from this earth and now is joined by her wonderful niece Lori in Heaven. I’m sure that both the Senke and Bresnahan families will surround Lori’s child with all the love she needs now and in the future.
Love, Lisa and Family

I didn’t know Ms. Bresnahan, but my kids did. They just started school at Willowfield in January. My son became very fond of her, he LOVES to read and he sent her on a mission to find him books that she thought he would like. Ms. Bresnahan did this for him on a regular basis. My son also said that he liked talking to her so much that he would stop by the library and say hi whenever he could…Thank you Lori. Wish I could have met you at open house this week, to thank you in person. It was so hard to tell him, he is so sad. Our little one doesn’t understand…Thank you for caring about my child like he were your own. We promise you will not be forgotten.

I had the pleasure of knowing Lori during my time at Oswego. Her enthusiasm and passion for literature were contagious and inspirational. I created some of my best work for her class because she was all about assigning useful and creative projects. She read us “I Love you Like Crazy Cakes” and made us all tear up because it was obvious how much her child meant to her. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.

To the family of Lori I extend my deepest, heartfelt sympathy. I met Lori many years ago through my former neighbors. They were best friends. Lori was also a customer of mine years ago when I was involved with craft shows. I remember her to be always engaging and possessing such a sweet, gentle spirit. It was probably a few years ago that we ran into each other at Wegmans and hadn’t seen each other in a very long time. We engaged in conversation, picking up where we had left off right in the middle of the produce department. She was such a caring person.
May you find comfort in your memories and healing in your hearts. I will be praying for you all.

I didn’t know the family but, my heart was breaking because I had been through something very similar. My heart goes out to the family and mostly to the little child. I hope the child gets the love, counseling and justice that Mother and child deserve. My prayers are with you all.

I had the privilege of working with Lori at Delaware Academy in the city district. She was our librarian and a member of our SLT committee. She was the most selfless woman, who offered her never ending support to any project the school or committee was working on. I will truly miss her spirit and enthusiasm.

I did not know you, personally, Lori, but I knew you in spirit. As another single mom with a child from China, we have much a lot in common. We in the adoptive community mourn your passing and pray for your sweet child. May your child heal and grow from the seeds you planted. Bless you.

I am saddened by the tragic passing of a fellow adoptive mom. Lori sounds like such a lovely person, and I know she will be missed by so many. My thoughts and prayers are with all who knew and loved Lori, especially her child.

I was a colleague with Lori for many years in KPS, Oswego, where she so loved getting kids excited about books and authors. One only had to watch her the day the Newbery and Caldecott Awards were announced to know how genuine was her love for books. Lori always wore an angel pin on her shoulder; I hope that angel is still by her side. I sincerely hope that Lori’s family will find some comfort in all the kind and true words spoken here about Lori, a true gem.