James E. O'Brien

WESTBROOK - James E. O'Brien, 65, died Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at the Togus Veterans Medical Center, in Augusta. He was born August 27, 1947 in Portland, the youngest of 15 children, of Ralph and Lucy (Newcomb) O'Brien. James grew up in Portland and attended local schools. He served in the Second Marine Division during the Vietnam Conflict and later joined the Army. Following his military service he returned to Portland and worked for American Steel Co. for 25 years retiring in 1999. After retirement he was a volunteer at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough. He was the top volunteer for years volunteering seven days a week and averaging over 1600 hours a year. James loved his camp in Harrison on Crystal Lake at Vacation Land Campground. To him it was like his second home. James was a proud recipient of a 2012, 6 Who Care award presented by Channel 6. In addition to his parents James was predeceased by three sisters and seven brothers. He is survived by his wife of 39 years Donna (Turner) O'Brien; sons, Darrell O'Brien of Windham, and Kevin O'Brien of Otisfield; sisters, Marion Arsenault of Portland, Bonnie Cabading and her husband Ernesto of Standish, and Donna Ciriello of Portland; brother, Richard O'Brien and his wife Brenda of Buxton; and cherished grandchildren, Christopher and Jazlyn O'Brien, with whom he shared a special and loving bond. Visitation will be held 4:00 - 7:00pm Friday at Conroy - Tully Crawford Funeral Home 172 State Street Portland. A funeral service will be held 2:00pm Saturday at the Funeral Home. Burial with Military Honors will be 12:00pm Tuesday at Brooklawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Congress Street, Portland. Contributions in James memory may be made to the Patient Activity Fund at Maine Veterans Home 290 U.S. Route 1 Scarborough, ME, 04074.Online condolences may be expressed below.