James O'Brien

James Eddy OBrien Portsmouth, RI - James Eddy OBrien, 83, of 32 Barkers Lane, Portsmouth, RI, died Friday, May 15, 2009 after a brief illness t St. Annes Hospital, Fall River, MA. He leaves his beloved wife of 61 years, Pauline G. Fonseca OBrien, eight children, fifteen grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Born in Tiverton, RI on May 11, 1926, he was the son of the late James Leo and Lena Clarke OBrien.Pop was a fiercely independent man who lived a full and active life, loving the time he spent with his family and friends, here and in Canada. His joys included music and dancing, painting, mayonnaise, surfing the net and proudly telling his life stories to his grandchildren. Ever proud of his service in WWII he was writing a book about his time in the Pacific. We are all sad to say goodbye. He will be missed. He had served in the US Navy, as a Seaman 1st Class aboard the USS Bancroft. He had worked for the Army Corp of Engineers, project manager of Turgeon Construction, and as resident engineer for Portsmouth Town Projects. Mr. OBrien had served as Past President and member of the Portsmouth Town Council. He was a Veteran of the Disabled Veterans Association, the American Legion Post #303 of Swansea, MA, a past member of the Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus, and the Tiverton Volunteer Fire Department. Besides his wife, he is survived by his children Eddie OBrien and his wife Denise of Bristol, RI , Michael OBrien and his wife Teresa of Portsmouth, RI, Colleen Jenney and her husband Jim of Kissimmee, FL, Debra Faryniarz and her husband Larry of Portsmouth, RI, Susan OBrien and her husband David Boland of Portsmouth, RI, Janet Szafir and her husband Scott of Tiverton, RI, Dorothy OBrien of Quebec, Canada, and Kathleen OBrien of Portsmouth, RI, a sister B. Eileen Gleeson and her husband Bill of Portsmouth, RI, fifteen grandchildren, Jennifer Collins and her husband Tom Warren, Jonathan OBrien and his wife Andrea, Donald Collins and his wife Christie, Mallory OBrien, Andrew Jenney, Charles Jenney, Nicholas Jenney, Kenneth Jenney, Melissa St. Pierre, Brian St. Pierre, Alyson St. Pierre, Aidan OBrien, Nolan OBrien, Christopher OBrien, and Danielle OBrien, and three great grandchildren, Avery Warren, Parker Collins, and Abbie Collins.His funeral will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at 9:00 am from the Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in St. Anthonys Church, 2836 East Main Road, Portsmouth.Burial will be in Pocassett Hill Cemetery in Tiverton.Calling hours will be held Monday, May 18, 2009, from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm in the Connors Funeral Home.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Annes Hospital Intensive Care Unit, 795 Middle Street, Fall River, MA, 02721, whose nurses and doctors compassionately and skillfully cared for him or to the Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Wagon Fund, P.O. Box 806, Portsmouth, RI, 02871.