Funeral mass took place Dec. 1 at St. Paul’s Church, Jersey City, for Richard J. O’Brien, 83, of Jersey City. He died at home on Nov. 27. He was the husband of his wife of 61 years, Marguerite. He is also survived by his children Richard K. and his wife Lee, Jay and his wife Jane Marie, Jane and her husband Kenneth Brown, Donald and his wife Jane Ellen, Justin and his wife Maria and Margy and her husband Michael Kennelly. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. ‘Dick’, as known to his friends and family, was born in Jersey City in 1929, son of John and Marion; he graduated from Holy Family Academy in 1948. In 1951, he married his sweetheart, Marge, (widely acclaimed as his ‘smartest move’) and started their life journey.
As proprietor of the O’Brien Florist, established in 1959, he served the community by providing inspired floral arrangements until his retirement 1997. In his retirement, he enjoyed his grandchildren, listening to music and vacationing on Long Beach Island. Mr. O’Brien was a lifelong member to St. Paul the Apostle Parish. Services arranged by the Routh Funeral Home, Jersey City.