Thomas Joseph O’Brien, Jr., 84, of Pineville, Missouri, peacefully departed this life on Monday afternoon, September 3, 2018, at home surrounded by loved ones after a long battle with cancer.
Tom began his earthly life on May 24, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas, the youngest of four children and the only son born to the late Thomas Joseph and Jane (Pryor) O’Brien. He was raised in Fort Worth and was a graduate of Paschal High School. He attended one semester at Texas Christian University but soon decided to go into the beauty and barber supply business first at Royal Beauty and Barber Supply in Houston, Texas and later, due to his father’s unexpected death in 1956, began overseeing the operation of the family owned Richie-Lansford Co.
Tom remained employed in the beauty and barber business but being a natural born entrepreneur and visionary, soon took on the challenges and risks of “being his own boss” and so In 1975 he purchased Seabrook Texas Queen Party Boats, Inc in Seabrook, Texas where he even took the coast guard examination to become captain of the 60 foot vessel. Next he launched Budget Beauty Supply which eventually had three locations in the Houston, Texas area. While running that business he saw that shipping and box stores were becoming popular and so he opened Box It in League City, Texas. After retirement, Tom decided to learn the BBQ business. He researched the best methods of smoking “Texas Style” BBQ and purchased a food wagon and smoker and began selling BBQ out of a homemade BBQ stand on his property in Alvin, Texas. Tom continued cooking even after moving to Pineville and began serving his delicious food out of two locations and eventually with a food cart on the square until this past May.
On February 25, 1977, he married the love of his life, Marilyn O’Brien and together they have shared forty-one years. Theirs was a love affair, filled with never ending love and laughter, always partners in business and in life.
Tom was a quiet and thoughtful man. He knew the meaning of “a servant’s heart” and quietly without fanfare lived a Godly life. He loved his children and grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by all those who knew and loved him. He was a member of Anderson United Methodist Church but the Pineville church always remained in his heart.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Mary Jane Haynie, Frances Butler and Dorothy Williams; and step son Patrick McClay.
Tom is survived by his seven children, Thomas J. O’Brien III and wife Courtney, John O’Brien and wife Dee, Michael O’Brien and wife Carolyn, Arden Riley and husband Tom, Patricia O’Brien, Leslie Dawkins and husband Randy, and Michelle Bowers and husband Fred and thirteen grandchildren and several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other family and friends.
Funeral services for Mr. O’Brien are 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 6, 2018, at the Pineville United Methodist Church with Pastors Mark Kailbourn, Doris Schlessman Nick VanDam officiating. Burial will follow in the Pineville Cemetery. Those honoring his life by serving as pallbearers are Tom O’Brien, III, John O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Michael Thomas O’Brien, Dennis Kirk and Ron Johnson. The family will receive friends on Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials are being directed to Solace House of the Ozarks c/o the funeral home. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through our website, www.ozarkfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Missouri.
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