Eamon Anthony "Edward" O'Brien

COTTAGE GROVE - Eamon Anthony "Edward" O'Brien, age 86, passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2020. He was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, the son of William and Jane (Hanvey) O'Brien. Eamon was the youngest of 13 children, of which only eight survived to adulthood. At the age of 17, Eamon came to America to begin a new life. Eamon proudly served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Upon his discharge, he returned to New York leading him to meet Nora Burke, who was born and raised in Belfast Ireland. Eamon and Nora moved to Wisconsin in 1959, making Madison their home where they were married that same year. Eamon worked for the State of Wisconsin for over 35 years before retiring in 1995. Eamon had great zest for life and truly enjoyed helping people. He will be remembered as a humanitarian who volunteered countless hours to his community. Eamon was especially proud of being a member of the Cottage Grove Lions Club, where he served as Past President and Treasurer, received the Knight of Sight Fellowship, the Melvin Jones Fellowship, and a Life Membership Award from the Lions Club International. He was the Past President of the Dane County Shamrock Club, where in 2001 he received the Person of the Year award. Eamon was a lifetime blood donor for the American Red Cross and proudly donated 30 gallons. Eamon was an avid photographer, always capturing the important moments in other’s lives. He shared his love for soccer. In the beginning stages of its popularity, Eamon worked with local authorities to design and construct soccer fields around Madison and Dane County. He was an Original Founder of the Madison Area Youth Soccer Organization and coached his children's teams. Eamon was a lifelong reader and lover of crossword puzzles. His annual Christmas light display was featured as a must see by local newspapers. Above all, he will always be remembered as a family man. He cherished his family and proudly supported them in everything they did, even traveling great distances to attend his grandchildren's events. Eamon is survived by his wife, Nora; daughters, Kathleen O'Brien, Maureen Eith, and Sheila (Todd Vogel) O'Brien; son, Sean O'Brien; grandchildren, Richard O’Brien, Brendan Kim, Sean Kim, Maeve Kim, Anabelle Reed-O’Brien, Ava Reed-O’Brien, and Aidan Reed-O’Brien; great-grandchildren, Liam O’Brien, Patrick O’Brien, and Lily O’Brien. He was preceded in death by his parents and all siblings. A Celebration of Eamon’s life will be held in the near future when those traveling can attend. Please visit www.gundersonfh.com for updates and to share online condolences. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420