Jerome O’Brien

Jerome O’Brien

Marion

Jerry O’Brien, Age 83, of Marion, IA passed away suddenly at Hawkeye Downs, doing what he loved.

A memorial visitation will be held at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, from 4 to 7 PM. A memorial service will be held at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 10:30 AM with a dear friend, Nick Grove, officiating. A livestream of the service will be available on the Cedar Memorial website under Jerry’s obituary. An inurnment will be held at the Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Ryan, IA with military honors.

Jerry was born on Sept. 26, 1939, in Cedar Rapids, IA. He was the son of the late Vincent and Anne O’Brien. He honorably served in the US Army during the Vietnam Conflict. He graduated from Loras College with a degree in finance. In October 1965, he married Patricia “Trish” Carney and then later divorced.

Jerry worked at a multitude of jobs, including his first job at the Ryan Dairy. He ended his long career as a VP mortgage broker for Midland Financial Mortgage. During his career he was named the top mortgage producer in the Midwest for multiple years. He retired as a snowbird to Arizona, where he made many great friends and bragged about dominating these friends in tennis (in jest). He loved to play golf, tennis, cards, baseball, and slo-pitch softball. He was an avid fan of stock car racing and raced at Hawkeye Downs himself. He was a member of the American Legion. In 2017 he was chosen for an honor flight to Washington, D.C. His greatest joy in life was his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he never missed a sporting event or an activity.

Those left to cherish Jerry’s memory are his children, Shellie (Kenny) O’Brien-Perry, of Marion, IA, Kevin O’Brien, of Portland, OR, Darrin (Jeni) O’Brien and Shane (Molly) O’Brien, both of Cedar Rapids, IA; his grandchildren, Sean (Ashli), Ashley (Luke), Shannon, Brandon, Chloe, Emma, Caitlyn, Aidan, Brecken, and Beckett; his great-grandchildren, Jakoby, Aspen, Emersyn, and Brooks; his sibling, Richard “Dick” (Loretta) O’Brien, of Denver, CO., Kay Stahl, of Marion, IA, and Casey (Steve) Hogan of Cedar Rapids, IA. All his nieces and nephews held a special place in his heart, along with Adam Seede and many more of his children’s closest friends too numerous to mention.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved brother, Jack (Marj) O’Brien.

A memorial fund has been established.

Condolences for the family may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.