James "Jim" E. O'Brien

James E. "Jim" O'Brien died on July 18th, 2024, preceded by his wife, Patricia J., and succeeded by his sons, Daniel J. and Martin J., Dan's wife and Jim's daughter- in-law, Ingrid, and granddaughters Claire P. and Bridget G. O'Brien. Jim was born on June 10th, 1937. His parents, Thomas E. and Virginia A. O'Brien, grew up in and around Wilmont, Minnesota. Jim grew up in and around Worthington, Minnesota. Jim was the eldest of eight children. He attended local schools until the eleventh grade when he moved to Lisle, Illinois, and attended Benet Academy, from which he graduated high school. He attended Benedictine University for two years before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1957, where he was trained as a Russian linguist and served in the Air Force Security Service in California, Washington, D.C., and Anchorage, Alaska. He graduated from the University of Alaska in 1962, and attended the University of Minnesota Law School on a scholarship, where he graduated with honors. Jim commenced the practice of law with a Minneapolis law firm in 1965, and retired at the end of 2013. He was a business lawyer at Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis, and served as the firm's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for many years, after serving in all the other management positions at the firm. He was a highly recognized business lawyer for many years, including being recognized as one of the best lawyers in America in a publication of that name. Jim also served for many years as a Trustee of the local Kiwanis Foundation and a Director of Opportunity Partners, a local organization for the training and employment of developmentally disabled adults. He also served as a director of the Minneapolis Society for the Blind. Jim's extraordinary academic performance was not always the case. Jim maintained that he was a mediocre student until he was in Air Force language training, where his commanding officer ordered him to memorize daily Russian dialogues. That order created previously absent motivation. Jim often acknowledged the wonderful and constant support he received from his wife of over fifty years. She was his principal blessing. It was obvious to all! Visitation for Jim will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30th, 2024, at the Washburn McCreavy Edina Funeral Chapel, 5000 West 50th Street (at Hwy. 100). Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31st, preceded by visitation at 10 a.m., at the Church of Christ the King, 5029 Zenith Avenue South, Minneapolis. Interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery (all are welcome) Wednesday, August 7th, at 10:30 a.m. (please arrive at 10:15 and meet in Assembly Area #2).