Emma Jean O’Brien quietly stepped into Heaven on March 1, 2025, at the age of 85. Born in Edinburg, Texas, Emma Jean Haley was raised in the Rio Grande Valley in the small town of Hargill until she headed to the University of Corpus Christi at the age of 17. There, she met her future husband, and college was quickly a thing of the past. After a couple of years in Chicago for Roy’s military service and their first child, they returned to South Texas to continue growing their family. Roy’s career brought them to Pensacola in 1971, and although Texas was their home, their life ended up being here, close to all the children and grandchildren.
“Miss Jean” was well known and loved by many children across the Pensacola area through her capacities as the director/assistant director/teacher of the Bellview Baptist Child Care for more than 30 years. She also served the Lord at Bellview Baptist Church for over 40 years as secretary, financial secretary, church clerk, and many other tasks and titles.
Jean loved crafts – she sewed her children’s clothes for many years, made many Barbie clothes, dabbled in macramé, crochet, and decoupage, but in the last few years she really enjoyed jewelry making with her precious friend, Lillie Dunson.
Jean was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Roy Dale O’Brien; her daughter, Cynthia Ann Wheeler; her parents, Clarence J. Haley (“Sleep”) and Josie Pearl Haley; her brothers, Douglas (Margaret) Haley and Powell Haley; and many other treasured family and friends.
She is survived by her three other children, Sharon Lea Marshall (Larry), Jeffrey Glen O’Brien (Lisa) and Jimmy Dale O’Brien (Cassie); her 13 grandchildren, Michaela Marshall, Tiffani Lee (Brett), Benjamin Marshall, Anthony Wheeler (Megan), Kory O’Brien (Jessica), David Martin (Jamie Lynn), Marissa Grant (Scottie), Jade Partridge (Ronnie), Blaine O’Brien (Brandee), Danielle Sanspree (Brannon), Loryn O’Brien, Brittany Wheeler, and Kristin Wheeler; 29 great-grandchildren and many loved nieces and nephews.
The pallbearers will be Anthony Wheeler, Kory O’Brien, Blaine O’Brien, David Martin, Brannon Sanspree, and Scottie Grant. Honorary pallbearers are “her boys,” Tripp Grant and Braxton Grant.
The celebration of her life will be Friday, March 7, 2025, at Bellview Baptist Church, 4750 Saufley Field Rd., Pensacola, FL 32526. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. and the service will be at 2:00 p.m. Graveside services will immediately follow at Easten Gate Cemetery on Nine Mile Rd. Officiating her services will be her pastor, Steve Bruce, her grandson, Brett Lee, and her former pastor, Dr. Gregg McBride.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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