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Howard O'Brien Obituary
O'BRIEN HOWARD JAMES O'BRIEN, III On Sunday, February 7, 2010 of Takoma Park, Maryland. Beloved husband of Margaret O'Brien; father of Jaime Elizabeth and Christine Madeline O'Brien; son of Howard J. and Mary T. O'Brien; brother of Theresa A. O'Brien, Kathleen O'Brien and Anne B. Peay. Relatives and friends may call at Saint Mark the Evangelist Church, 7501 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, Maryland, on Thursday 4 to 7 p.m. with prayer service and remembrances at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Mark the Evangelist Church on Friday, February 12 at 11 a.m. Interment George Washington Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718. www.COLLINSFUNERALHOME.com
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Memories and Condolences
for Howard O'Brien
Brenda Mullins
February 4, 2020
An email popped up today and there you were. Oh how much you are missed my friend. I miss joking around with you but mostly I just miss you. I miss you sharing WV stories with you.
February 20, 2010
Jim was a good friend of my husband, Steve Eisen. I was so very sad to hear of his death. Steve thought the world of him and my thoughts and sympathies go out to his family. Patty Eisen (Silver Spring, MD)
Phil and Robin Pestone
February 19, 2010
Howard James, You and your family will always be in our hearts and minds. It is regretful that we have not been able to hang out over the past years, but we have so many memories(too many to list)but especially all those crazy weekends building our shack in the West Virginia Mountains and the "Power Wagon". We will always treasure them. Our prayers and thoughts go out to family and friends.
GlenRoy LaMothe
February 13, 2010
go to www.youtube.com then type in "Traditional Irish blessing" then select the first video with green land scape.
GlenRoy LaMothe
February 12, 2010
My entire family knows the name Jim Obrien. He’s my dad’s Boss. When my parents first came to this country they struggled in maintaining a life in America and within a few months I was born. It was hard for my father to find work and feed & shelter his family until he meets Jim Obrien a young entrepreneur who wants to start his own construction company, and since then a day never went by without work.
Then again there was a time when my sister’s and I were little and my Dad couldn’t afford to buy us gifts for Christmas. Jim showed up with a black trash bag full of toys! When I got a little older I started taking Kung fu classes… one day my father was late in picking me up… to my surprise Aunty Glenda pick me up two hours later and informed me that my Daddy was in a bad car accident and fractured two of his ribs… We all were very scared! When my Dad came from the Hospital Jim showed up at our home with… and he said, “I brought the important stuff and I also brought the really important stuff!” He was referring to health insurance papers for my Dad to sign and two boxes of Dunkin donuts.
My first computer was a Dos CPU from Jim with a printer; I also got my first Adult bicycle through Jim. Then I got my Teen years and wanted a job so I could buy the latest Timberland boots and cool clothes… Jim Obrien along with Dave Cop agreed to let me work. He never spoke with me in any ill manner and he never treated my father like just another employee or me the son of one of his employee’s , he treated my father like a brother and I like one of his kids! He even humored me when I brought to him my ambitions of starting my own business. We set up a meeting to get an idea of an estimate for renovating a building and he gave it without any bad looks …he always smiled when he saw me. He was indeed very kind to everyone in his company and his company loved him for it! They would refer to him as Daddy! Today is when we formally say goodbye to the passing of a very special ideal man and sadly it’s also my father’s (Sampson LaMothe) birthday, February 12th, 2010. My dad truly feels like he lost a brother and teacher and we will never forget him for the rest of our lives. I know The Obrien’s ruled Ireland for five hundred years before the Renaissances; I would like to think we are saying goodbye only for now to a very loving and loved King!
GlenRoy LaMothe
February 12, 2010
My entire family knows the name Jim Obrien. He’s my dad’s Boss. When my parents first came to this country they struggled in maintaining a life in America and within a few months I was born. It was hard for my father to find work and feed & shelter his family until he meets Jim Obrien a young entrepreneur who wants to start his own construction company, and since then a day never went by without work.
Then again there was a time when my sister’s and I were little and my Dad couldn’t afford to buy us gifts for Christmas. Jim showed up with a black trash bag full of toys! When I got a little older I started taking Kung fu classes… one day my father was late in picking me up… to my surprise Aunty Glenda pick me up two hours later and informed me that my Daddy was in a bad car accident and fractured two of his ribs… We all were very scared! When my Dad came from the Hospital Jim showed up at our home with… and he said, “I brought the important stuff and I also brought the really important stuff!” He was referring to health insurance papers for my Dad to sign and two boxes of Dunkin donuts.
My first computer was a Dos CPU from Jim with a printer; I also got my first Adult bicycle through Jim. Then I got my Teen years and wanted a job so I could buy the latest Timberland boots and cool clothes… Jim Obrien along with Dave Cop agreed to let me work. He never spoke with me in any ill manner and he never treated my father like just another employee or me the son of one of his employee’s , he treated my father like a brother and I like one of his kids! He even humored me when I brought to him my ambitions of starting my own business. We set up a meeting to get an idea of an estimate for renovating a building and he gave it without any bad looks …he always smiled when he saw me. He was indeed very kind to everyone in his company and his company loved him for it! They would refer to him as Daddy! Today is when we formally say goodbye to the passing of a very special ideal man and sadly it’s also my father’s (Sampson LaMothe) birthday, February 12th, 2010. My dad truly feels like he lost a brother and teacher and we will never forget him for the rest of our lives. I know The Obrien’s ruled Ireland for five hundred years before the Renaissances; I would like to think we are saying goodbye only for now to a very loving and loved King!
Rick and Dot Lessard
February 11, 2010
Jim was one of a kind. I have known Jim since our days at Catholic University .
He was the Project Manager with Eichberg Construction on one of our first large Architectural Projects. He could have made our life hell but he didn't. He was a team leader/player and made our life easy.
Iam afraid we lost touch but not the memories of a great guy.We will prayer for your loss. You should know that your son, husband,father,and brother will never be forgotten by the many friends and co-workers who had the privledge of knowing him.
Tom Kalvin
February 11, 2010
Godspeed Jim, I'm sure Heaven will benefit from your many talents and good nature... as have we all here on Earth. My prayers go out for your loving family... See you again, friend, I'm counting on it.
TK
Knox Wasley
February 10, 2010
A pleasure to know you and become a member of the family. You will be well remembered by many people for kindness, fun, intelligence, and service.
Brenda Mullins
February 10, 2010
May God bless each and everyone of Jim's family and friends during this very sad time.
I will miss Jim very much. I could always count on him to brighten my day when things weren't going well at work or personally. He was a good friend to have. I will miss sharing stories about West Virginia with him.
God bless you all!
Brenda M.
Charlene, Paul, Paul, Christina and Christopher Vellano
February 10, 2010
Our heartfelt sympathy to Jim's wife, our very good friend Peg, Jim's daughters, Jamie and Christine, all of Jim's sisters, his parents, and all the rest of his relatives, with a special rememberance to my good friend, his aunt, Jeanette Murray.
Jim was truly a special person. We were blessed and honored that he was our friend. We will miss his smile which lit up a room, his rolling eyes when he spoke or heard of something he deemed silly, like the latest political gaffe of the day, and most of all his good company. It seemed whenever we were with him and Peg, we could talk for hours about everything and nothing, like good friends are able to do.
His life was cut way too short, but in the time he had, he truly enjoyed life and the good things that it had to offer. These good things did not, however, include the suitcoat and tie as he often told us:)
He and Peg are heroes to our family, they helped us in our time of need when they really didn't have to and did it without a second thought. This was Jim as you all know- he did wonderful things for people and his community and didn't think anything about them because they came so naturally to him.
There are so many stories we could share that there just isn't room or time, but we can tell you all a little known fact is that long before Onstar or gps, there was "Mr. O'Brien". My oldest graduated from the University of Maryland and during his time there, Jim and Peg were there for him and Jim made a point to give him his cell number and maps of the area encouraging him to explore and telling him if he got lost or needed anything to call him. Many times Jim answered the phone while the young student was stranded on 495 or 95 or who knows where else, with Jim laughing and saying things like "well now you know never to get on 495 at this time in that direction" etc and always was able to guide him to a safe trip back to his dorm or apartment and by the time he left Maryland, he could navigate pretty well. That was the free part of "Onstar O'Brien". The expensive part for the young student's dad and mom was that Jim also would call and leave messages for the youngster and tell him of the latest restaurants to go to, and Jim of course meant the latest Brazilian, Ethiopican and all that, never anything mundane with Jim such as steak, and of course the youngster would go and the charge would miraculously appear that month on Dad's card, wondering how the youngster heard of such a place and of course, we found out. All kidding aside, Jim was as much a part of our son's higher education in exposing him to the great area the he lived in as the University of Maryland, he showed him where the cool stuff was in DC, the artistry, the free stuff and the not so free stuff. We couldn't have asked for a better "guide".
We are grateful that God allowed us the time we had with Jim. The peace of the Lord will be with him always.
Dorothy Stevens
February 9, 2010
I love you Jim, you were my special friend. I love you Peg and you are in my prayers and thoughts.
Dor
George Cranford, Jr.
February 9, 2010
Goodbye my friend, May you and your family find comfort in the Lord.
Lisa and David Willett
February 9, 2010
As the days and weeks pass, and as you return to life's routine, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support of family and friends.
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Francis J. Collins Funeral Home, Inc. - Silver Spring500 University Blvd. West, Silver Spring, MD 20901
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