Julia Jean O'Brien was born on February 13, 1924 in Decatur County, Iowa the daughter of Augustus and Freda (Tolly) Rose. Jean entered into eternal rest on December 29, 2012 at her home in Shenandoah, at the blessed age of 88 years.

Jean lived most of her life in the Imogene and Shenandoah area. She graduated from Leon Elementary School in 1938 and Garden Grove High School in 1942. On December 4, 1946 she was united in marriage to Louis Edward O'Brien at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Shenandoah. The couple was blessed with the birth of one daughter, Barbara Ann.

Jean and Louis farmed near Imogene. She worked for Earl May Nurseries and Spuregon's in Shenandoah. She enjoyed and looked forward to working at the election polls for a lot of years. She and Louis always had good times with friends playing cards. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Louis O'Brien; daughter Barbara Nielsen; son-in-law Larry Nielsen; sister Gladys Marr; brothers L.D. Rose, Clifford D. Rose, and Robert D. Rose.

Those left to cherish his memory include her grandson Troy Nielsen and wife Kelly; two great-children Drew and Sydney Nielsen; sister Marie Davison of Humeston, Iowa; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.