John William O'Brien

John William O'Brien

Dec. 10, 1936 - March 20, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. -- John William O'Brien, age 79, of Osceola, Neb., (formerly of Shelby) passed away March 20, 2016, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Memorial mass will be Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at 10 a.m. at Shelby Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father John Rooney officiating. There will be no visitation. Inurnment will be in the Shelby Cemetery. Dubas Funeral Home of Osceola and Stromsburg has been entrusted with arrangements.

John was born Dec. 10, 1936, to John Francis and Janetta Teresa (Brinkman) O'Brien at Cambridge, Neb. He attended Cambridge Public School and graduated in 1954. He then attended McCook Junior College and graduated in 1957.

On May 31, 1958, he was united in marriage to Janet Gay Crook of McCook, Neb. at St. Patrick's Church in McCook. To this union four children were born. John served in the Nebraska National Guard for eight years.

He went on to the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1965 and later received his master's degree in guidance and counseling from Kearney State College in 1976.

John taught school at Cambridge Junior High from 1957-1963 and coached for six years. He then taught at Shelby Public School from 1965-1999 and coached for a total of 27 years while there. He retired in the spring of 1999.

He was a member of Shelby Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Deb (Craig) Saum of Gothenburg and Teresa (Michael) Davis of Yutan; two sons, Michael (Susan) O'Brien of Norfolk and Pat (Julie) O'Brien of Lincoln; nine grandchildren, Stacy (Donald) Flesner of Gothenburg, Nicole (Jake) Rubenthaler of Gothenburg, Morgan Davis of Yutan, Michaela O'Brien of Norfolk, Madison Davis of Yutan, Brett O'Brien of Norfolk, Molly Davis of Yutan, Trayson O'Brien of Lincoln, Caden O'Brien of Lincoln; four great-grandchildren, Amelia Flesner, Gage Flesner, Jaxson Flesner and Blake Rubenthaler, all of Gothenburg; sister, Caroline (Gail) Kircher and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet, who passed away July 6, 2009; parents, John and Janetta; and one sister, Patricia Stastka.