O'Brien, James T. 'Jim'

James T. “Jim” O'Brien (83) died at St. Luke's Hospital on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, following a long illness. Mass of Christian burial for Jim will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at St. Patrick Church, Monti, Iowa. Burial will be in the Monti Cemetery, immediately after the Mass. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home in Manchester. There also will be visitation one hour before the funeral Wednesday at the church.

Jim was born Oct. 10, 1928, in Buchanan County, Iowa, to Louis J. and Rose M. (Burke) O'Brien. His early childhood education was in one-room schoolhouses in Buchanan County. He graduated from Coggon High School in 1945.

As a young man, Jim played sandlot baseball with some young men from Silver Creek. He greatly enjoyed his relationship with the people from the Silver Creek community. He made friendships there that lasted a lifetime. He also began singing publicly at age 15 with his parents, lending his tenor voice to numerous weddings, funerals and weekend liturgies for about 50 years.

In 1951 and 1952, Jim was in military service to his country. He spent one year as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany.

On June 6, 1953, Jim married Rose Marie Doyle at St. Patrick Church, Ryan. They moved to a farm near Monti and stayed there for 53 years, until a move to Ryan due to declining health. The marriage was blessed with six children. Jim moved to The Meadows Assisted Living facility in mid-August 2011 and to the Good Neighbor Home on June 7, 2012.

Jim was a member of the Ryan Legion Post 692 and St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ryan. Jim will return to the Monti Community for the last time where he grew up and spent the first 77 years of his life. Monti was always a special place for Jim and his family. Jim was always proud of his Irish roots, visiting the “Emerald Isle” for the first time when he was stationed in Germany and then returning in 1989 with Rosie. Jim also spent more than 20 years serving on the Boards of Education of Monti Consolidated Schools and North-Linn school district.

Jim is survived by six children, Thomas (Julie) of Cedar Rapids, Daniel (Helen) of Coggon, Timothy (Maureen) of Marion, Catherine (Steve) Werner of Manchester, Mary (David) Melchert of Monticello and Michael (Carrie) of Anamosa, 17 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are his brother, Donald (Bernita) of Marshalltown; and nine nieces and nephews.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws; his wife of 55 years, Rosie (2009); his siblings, Robert O'Brien, Msgr. Joseph O'Brien and Patricia Green; brothers-in-law, Richard “Butch” Green and Duane Doyle; and son-in-law, David Bohlke.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Monti Community Center, American Legion, Alzheimer's Association and the Good Neighbor Society.

Please sign the online guest book for Jim at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Sept. 24, 2012.