Betty O'Brien

OTTUMWA — Betty Ann O'Brien, 88, formerly of 305 N. Sheridan Ave., died at 1:30 p.m. June 5, 2009, at The Good Samaritan Society-Ottumwa.She was born Feb. 25, 1921, in Burlington, Iowa, to Earl Leon and Bessie Lee Graves Pulis. She married John J. O'Brien Oct. 15, 1950. He preceded her in death Jan. 30, 1976.A graduate of Emmetsburg High School in 1937, she had been a resident of Ottumwa since 1937. She had worked for Dave Williams Grocery on Second Street and had been a secretary at Washington Junior High School. She worked at John Morrell and Co. from 1943 to 1972 and then worked for John Deere Ottumwa Works until retiring in 1983. She was a member of Willard St. United Methodist Church. Betty's ready smile endeared her to all. She was loved dearly and will be missed by many.Surviving is her son, Stephen Lee (Susan) O'Brien of Agency; two grandchildren, Ashley Ann (Jamie) Junis and Austin Lee O'Brien, both of Agency; a sister, May Pulis of Ottumwa; nephews, Lee (Joan) Pulis of Plymouth, Mass. and Spence (Le Ann) Byrum of Germantown, Tenn.; a niece, Jay Ann Pulis of Kansas City, Mo.; great-nieces and great-nephews, Jay Michael Pulis Jr., Scott Pulis, Rali Esterman, Ryan (Mel) Pulis, Melissa (Kendrick) Wakeman, Holly Pulis, Zach Byrum, Blake Byrum, Robbie Ann (Kevin) Fite and Scott Boren.She was preceded in death by two sisters, Muriel Byrum and Zouria Madeline Pulis; two brothers, Earl Gordon and Russell Robert Pulis, and a nephew, Jay Pulis. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Reece Funeral Home with Rev. Charles Lures officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Austin O'Brien, Jamie Junis, Mark O'Brien, Dean Rupe, Bob Heckart and Herb Greenfield. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. today at the funeral home with the family present from 6-8 p.m. Monday.Memorials may be made to The Good Samaritan Society-Ottumwa or Iowa Hospice, 201 High Ave. E., Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577.Obituary may be viewed at: www.legacy.com/ottumwacourier/Obituaries.asp