James ‘Jim’ Joseph O’Brien Jr.

MORGANTOWN

On the afternoon of Saturday, May 3, 2015, James “Jim” Joseph O’Brien Jr. passed away at his home in Morgantown, surrounded by his loving family. He was 79 years old.

Jim was born in Philadelphia on July 1, 1935. He was the only son of James Joseph O’Brien Sr. and Anne (Rutledge) O’Brien.

Jim attended West Catholic Boys High School in Philadelphia.

Jim joined the Marines directly out of high school, and when he came home, he met Roseann Begley, and they were married in 1957. Jim and Roseann immediately started a family while he was a manager for Singer Sewing Machine Co. in Philadelphia.

In 1968, he and his family moved to Indianapolis, where he opened his own sewing machine shop on Washington Street.

The family moved to Needham, where he was in sales for Magnavox before starting his own real estate business.

While in the real estate business, Jim spent most of his weekends on his houseboat, “Summer Office.” If he wasn’t out bombing around Lake Monroe on his WaveRunner, he was grilling with his family while moored in a bay at Paynetown State Recreation Area.

Jim retired 12 years ago and counted the days between trips to Matzalan, Mexico and St. Augustine, Florida with Roseann.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James Joseph Sr. and Anne O’Brien.

Jim is survived by his wife, Roseann (Begley) O’Brien; and sisters, Jacqueline Anne MacEntee and Elizabeth Anne Murphy. He was a loving father to six children, Anne Miller of Danville, James J. O’Brien of Illinois, Christopher O’Brien and wife Beth, and Colleen Hall and husband Ben, both of Bargersville, William O’Brien and partner, Dean Curry, of Indianapolis and Elizabeth Wittich and husband, Steve, of Carmel.

Jim was also a doting grandfather to nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Jim lived life to the fullest, and his family meant everything to him.

A celebration of life gathering will be conducted from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Jessen Funeral Home, Franklin Chapel, 197 E. Jefferson St.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The Little Sisters of the Poor (littlesistersofthepoorindianapolis.weshareonline.org) or to the American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org).