O'Brien

William J. "Bill" O'Brien, 66, of Walnut Street in Emlenton, a retired Emlenton businessman, died at 8:05 a.m. Tuesday at his home following a lengthy illness.

Born in Oil City, March 20, 1941, he was the son of the late Peter J. and Virginia M. Heeter O'Brien.

Mr. O'Brien was a 1959 graduate of Emlenton High School.

He was a member of St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church in Emlenton and had served on the parish council.

An excellent cemeterian, he had served for more than two decades as the sexton of the St. Michael Roman the Archangel Roman Catholic Church Cemetery and was instrumental in mapping and plotting several sections of the cemetery to be used as grave space.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus of St. Michael Church, Holy Name Council 4602, where he held both a Third and Fourth Degree.

Mr. O'Brien owned and operated a Western Auto store at Cunchula's Plaza in the village of Mariasville, near Emlenton, for years. He was a production manager for Good Will Industries and retired as a dispatcher at Gardenscape in Emlenton.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his granddaughters, whom he affectionately referred to as "my girls." He also enjoyed reading.

Surviving are his wife, Shirley A. Patterson O'Brien, whom he married June 9, 1962, at the St. Michael Church in Emlenton; two daughters and their husbands, Lori A. and Ken Cratty of Perryville Road, Parker, and Jennifer M. and Doug May of Franklin Street, Clintonville; and five granddaughters, Kelsey and Kayla Cratty and Makenzie, Lindsay and Sydney May.

He also is survived by a brother and his wife, Peter J. Jr. and Pam O'Brien of Port Allegany; a sister and her husband, Elizabeth and Jay Wenner of Oil City; an aunt, Genevieve Clark of Warren; and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by a son, Kevin J. O'Brien, who died in 1965.

<B>O'BRIEN </B>— Friends of William J. "Bill" O'Brien, who died Tuesday, July 24, 2007, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the <B>Hile Funeral Home Inc.</B>, 1204 Kerr Ave., Emlenton. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church, Chestnut Street, Emlenton, with the Rev. Conrad Kraus officiating. Burial will be at the St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church Cemetery.A recitation of the rosary and a memorial service by the Knights of Columbus of St. Michael Church, Holy Name Council 4602 will be at 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.Memorial donations may be made to St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church, P.O. Box 177, Emlenton, PA 16373.