Passages: Riley Pratt O'Brien


November 19, 2008 · Updated 3:31 PM 

  • 0
  • Print Story
  • Letter/Editor

Riley Pratt O'Brien of Friday Harbor, Wash., formerly of Winnetka, Ill., and Buffalo, N.Y., died at the age of 97 on Nov. 8, 2008.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Mary Frances Aspinwall; and his wife of 16 years, Martha Towle Fortune.

He is survived by one sister; five children, Mary, Margaret, Kathleen, Riley and Kevin; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

He spent his career in the shipping business on the Great Lakes working for Boland and Cornelius in Buffalo and as fleet manager for Inland Steel Company in Chicago until his retirement. In his younger years, he was an avid sailor and private pilot and continued his love of flying through the age of 79.

He and his enduring zest for life and adventuresome spirit will be missed by his family and friends.

At Riley's request, no services will be held. An online guest book registry is available at: Legacy.com Chicago Tribune Obituaries

— The Riley Pratt O'Brien family

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.

blog comments powered by Disqus