Richard O'Brien

Richard O’Brien

81, of Libby

Richard D. O’Brien, 81, of Libby, passed away Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, of natural causes. He was born June 8, 1934, on Black Lake near Eureka to Lorenzo Dow and Blanche (Balargen) O’Brien. Richard went to school through the eighth grade in Rexford and then attended Lincoln County High school in Eureka. He started working for J. Neils Lumber Company at the age of 17 as sawyer. Richard also worked on the Noxon Dam and Libby Dam. He met Patricia Howard in 1961 and they were married March 10, 1961. They made their home out in Mahoney Acres where they raised their family.  

In 1983, they bought bare property up Five Mile Creek Road, where they built a ranch with a nice home and a shop. The grandkids all have great memories of time spent at the ranch with grandpa and grandma. After they sold the ranch, they moved to a home on Florence Road in Libby.  

The last 30 years that Richard worked, he worked for J. Neils and Champion in the woods and then the log yard. 

Richard left a legacy of love and wonderful memories for his family and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia; his brothers Fred and Frank and his sister, Leona.

Survivors include his children Debbie Davenport of Tacoma, Wash.,; Kim O’Brien (Ed Clampitt) of Hardin; Tina O’Brien of Spokane, Wash.; Denise Hewitt of Kennewick, Wash.; Diane Martin (Karl) of Seattle, Wash., and Richard O’Brien, Jr. (Linda) of Libby; brothers Leo O’Brien (Shirley) of Kalispell, and Louie O’Brien (Beverly) of Libby; 20 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Services for Richard will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015, at the Church of The Nazarene in Libby. Visitation was from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2015, at Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.