O'Brien, Eugene F. 'Gene'

Eugene F. “Gene” O'Brien, 88, of 1100 25th St. NE, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 2010, with lung cancer at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, Aug. 23, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, with Father David Beckman officiating. Burial will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery, with military rites by American Legion Post 727. Friends may call from 4 until 7 p.m. Sunday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, where a Scripture service begins at 6:30 p.m. In addition, friends may call Monday at the church after 9:30 a.m.

Survivors include his wife, Frances “Fran”; three daughters, Carol Crawford, Dallas, Texas, Patricia Kelly and husband Terry, Lake Worth, Fla., and Ruthann Hadish and husband Gregg, Ames, Iowa; and five grandchildren, Jesse, David and Rebecca Kelly and Johnny and Paul Hadish. Also surviving are one brother, Stephen O'Brien, Dubuque; and four sisters, Mary Fischer, Clutier, Marcella Rooney, Decorah, Loretta Orris, Cedar Rapids, and Rose Frana, Calmar.

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Frances Marie in 1955; daughter, Sally in 2006; and two brothers, Robert and Leonard O'Brien.

Gene was born Feb. 15, 1922, in Decorah, Iowa, to Frank and Elizabeth (Carolan) O'Brien. He attended St. Benedict's grade school in Decorah, and Immaculate Conception High School in Lansing, Iowa. In 1941, he enlisted in the Navy and served six years active duty and four years in the Navy Reserve. During World War II he spent three years in the South Pacific Fleet.

On Aug. 28, 1950, he married Frances Frana at Spillville, Iowa. He went to college on the GI Bill and graduated from Creighton University, Omaha, Neb., in 1951 and was promptly recalled for 15 months of stateside duty during the Korean War. In 1952, he was employed by Collins Radio, later Rockwell Collins, in various accounting and finance areas for 35 years, retiring in 1988.

He was a member of the National Accounting Association for many years.

Gene was a member of St. Matthew's Church since 1952 where he sang in the Men's Choir for over 30 years. He also served as an usher and helped with many funeral dinners. He was a member of the Rockwell Recreation Center where he exercised daily for 22 years. He and his wife of  60 years were involved in Marriage Encounter for over 25 years.

Gene loved his daughters, grandchildren and sons-in-law and was proud of their various and many accomplishments. The men in his cribbage and breakfast groups were special to him. He was a handicraftsman who designed and made many of the early American furniture pieces in their home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy or Camp Courageous.

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