John O'Brien

John W. O'Brien, 79, of Beatrice and formerly of Kearney passed away, Saturday, January 30, 2010 at the Beatrice Community Hospital. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday, February 3 at First United Methodist Church in Kearney. The Rev. Gary Main will officiate. Burial will be in the Kearney Cemetery with military honors conducted by the American Legion Post #52 and VFW #759 in conjunction with the Offutt Air Force Base Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4-8pm, Tuesday with family receiving friends from 6-8pm at O'Brien Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney. Memorials are suggested to the University of NE at Kearney Foundation or the Kensington Assisted Living in Beatrice. On-line condolences may be submitted to osafh.com. O'Brien Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney and Ord Memorial Chapel are in charge of arrangements. He was born February 21, 1930, on a farm near Cairo, NE to John and Mary (Hostler) O'Brien. He graduated from Grand Island High School in 1947. While in Grand Island, John worked for Nash Finch and O.P. Skaggs in the meat departments. On December 26, 1950, John was united in marriage to Phyllis Treon in Grand Island. From 1950 to 1954, he served in the United States Air Force with the 3320th Technical Training Wing at Amarillo Air Force Base in Texas. The couple moved to Fairbury, NE, where John drove a bread truck for Continental Baking Co. from 1955 to 1962. They then moved to Kearney, where he sold insurance for Investors Life Insurance Co. In 1970, John's interest changed to raising quarter horses. He owned and operated Irish Acres Quarter Horses until 1983. He then went back to selling insurance for the Equitable Life Insurance Company. Before his retirement, John owned and operated Platte Valley Transfer Service. He also worked part-time for O'Brien-Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney. John was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Kearney, where he served as an usher for many years. He was a member of the Rob Morris Masonic Lodge in Kearney, the Tehama Shrine in Hastings and the American Legion. He had been a member of the Kearney Elks Lodge, and was one of the organizers of the first United Way Fund Drive in Kearney. He was active in the Jaycees and had been involved with the Miss Nebraska Pageant. John loved watching his grandchildren's sporting events and also was an avid fan of the University of Nebraska Kearney Athletics, especially the girls volleyball and basketball teams. Survivors include his wife, Phyllis of Beatrice; a daughter and son-in-law, Deb and Dean Roehr of Beatrice; a son and daughter-in-law, Randy and Vicki O'Brien of Ord; seven grandchildren, Jill and Cory Steel of Hickman, Ryan and Suzy Nootz of Lincoln, Travis and Katie Roehr of Hickman, Tim and Amy O'Brien of Waverly, Riley O'Brien of Waverly, Brett O'Brien and Mackenzie O'Brien, both of Ord; four great-grandchildren, Payten and Caden Steel, Sydney Roehr and Connor Nootz; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Lola Scott of Edinburg, TX and Betty and Chuck Johnson of Kearney; and two brothers and sisters-in-law, Hubert and Phyllis O'Brien of Ponca and Stephen and Lori O'Brien of Kearney. John was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter, Kathleen and an infant brother, Gary.

John O'Brien

February 21, 1930 - January 30, 2010