James Vincent O’Donnell – Obituary
The Lord called one of his Irish angels to be with him on Friday, January 31, 2014. James Vincent O’Donnell, 90, passed away of natural causes.
He was the first boy born at St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, MT, July 8, 1923. Jim was the oldest child born to James Andrew and Irma Gertrude (Peters) O’Donnell, a pioneer family of Yellowstone County. His boyhood, education and early years were spent in Billings. He attended Fratt Memorial grade school and graduated from Billings (Senior) High School in 1941.
O’Donnell was active in many athletic sports. He was a member of the Billings High School Montana Football Championship Team in 1939. As Captain and All-State quarterback he played on the Broncs 1940 football team that participated in the Montana State Football Championship game. He also took part in basketball and track for Billings High School. Jim was an infielder and lead-off batter with the Billings American Legion Baseball team for four years. Later he played semi-professional baseball on the field below the Rimrocks in Billings.
In 1941 and 1942 he was employed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, as a core drill ore sampler at the Mouat Chrome Mines near Nye, MT.
Jim served from 1943 to 1946 in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was commissioned an Officer at Northwestern University Midshipman School in Chicago Illinois. He was assigned to the Landing Ship Tank – LST #729. His ship took part in the amphibious assault operations in the Philippines, Okinawa, and IE Shima campaigns in the Pacific Theater of War. Following cessation of the War, he aided in the repatriation of Japanese troops and civilian settlers from Manchuria, China to their homeland in Japan.
In 1948 O’Donnell graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. From 1948 to 1952 he worked as a construction engineer and estimator for Cahill-Mooney Construction Company in Billings. For the next fourteen years he was a Landman for the Northern Pacific Railway Oil Development Department also in Billings.
On May 7, 1955 he married Shirley M. Bakko in Billings at the Holy Rosary Church. The family including four children moved to Helena in 1966, where he began his career with the Montana Highway Department. He started as a Special Assignment Engineer and later headed up the Public Hearing Section for the Department for three years. For Sixteen years and before retiring in 1987, Jim supervised the Contract Plans Section.
He loved his family, church, retirement, traveling, walking, using the computer, Notre Dame, attending sport events and watching TV, especially football!
O’Donnell was preceded in death by his parents and brother, J. Patrick O’Donnell.
Jim is survived by his wife, Shirley, of 58 years in Helena: two sons and daughters-in-law James H. and Michele O’Donnell of Helena, and Larry and Misty O’Donnell of Helena; two daughters Cathy Cerne of Renton, WA, and Sherry O’Donnell of Helena; a brother, Richard H. O’Donnell, of New Orleans, LA; twin sisters and brother-in-law, Marg and Vince Parlette, Lafayette, CA and Mary and Dave Albrecht, Renton, WA; sister-in-law Jan O’Donnell, Maricopa, AZ; eight grandchildren; four great grandchildren, many cousins, nieces, and nephews and Aunt Peg Skarston of Billings.
He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Community of Helena. His other affiliations included Knights of Columbus, Billings; The American Legion, Peoria, IL; Montana Landsmen Association, Billings; The American Heart Association; and the Mended Hearts, Inc., Helena.
The family invites you to join them at a Vigil service to be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening February 4, 2014 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. A time of sharing memories and stories will immediately follow the Vigil. A funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at Saint Mary Catholic Community, 1700 Missoula Avenue in Helena. Interment with military honors will be at Mountview Cemetery in Billings at a later date. Memorials in Jim’s name are suggested to an organization of the donor’s choice. To offer a condolence or share a memory please visit below.
Service Schedule
Vigil
6:30 p.m.
Tuesday February 4, 2014
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Funeral Mass
10:00 a.m.
Wednesday February 5, 2014
Saint Mary Catholic Community
1700 Missoula Ave.
Helena, Montana 59601
Reception
Following the Funeral Mass
Wednesday February 5, 2014
Saint Mary Catholic Community
1700 Missoula Ave
Helena, Montana 59601
Burial with Military Honors
At a later date.
Mountview Cemetery
1704 Central Ave.
Billings, Montana 59102
Service Schedule
Vigil
6:30 p.m.
Tuesday February 4, 2014
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Funeral Mass
10:00 a.m.
Wednesday February 5, 2014
Saint Mary Catholic Community
1700 Missoula Ave.
Helena, Montana 59601
Reception
Following the Funeral Mass
Wednesday February 5, 2014
Saint Mary Catholic Community
1700 Missoula Ave
Helena, Montana 59601
Burial with Military Honors
At a later date.
Mountview Cemetery
1704 Central Ave.
Billings, Montana 59102
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Jeff and Dana Dietz says
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. We will miss Jim.
Blessings to you. Jeff, Dana, Korrin and Preston
Rich Munger says
Sherry, Bette and I offer our condolences for the loss of your Dad. I have many fond memories of watching Helena High sporting events with Jim. He was truly an avid sports fan.
Jim was a real gentleman, and will be missed by many.
Tom and Pam Oberweiser & Peg Skarsten says
A great man from a great family… so many fond memories of this great man and his brothers and sisters esp. the laughter … Jim was the quiet one that bunch. God bless you all as we keep you in our prayers!
Pammie and Henry maroul says
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. We will miss uncle Jim so much. He was always so very sweet to us. He was such a gentle man and so loved by us all.
Lori Wojcik says
What a sweet, sweet sole. You will be missed by so many. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you in this time of sorrow.
Greg Mullowney says
My deepest condolences to all of you. What a blessed man to have lived so long in good health, surrounded by such a loving family and so many friends.
Glen and Gwen Bueche says
Larry, Misty, Sean,Andrew and family, sending our love and prayers to all if you during this difficult time. May the grace of God comfort you. Give our heartfelt condolences to Shirley.
Mary Kay Kimmet says
Jim was my Dad’s, Jake Adams, best friend throughout his life. Jim was the first person to arrive at my Dad’s funeral in Billings two years ago. I have fond memories of him as a child and again as an adult when I visited with him in Helena at a baseball game in which our son Matt was playing.
We were truly blessed to have known Jim for the kind and caring person he was.
May your many memories comfort you at this sad time.
Our condolences,
Mary Kay and Pat Kimmet
Pat Adams
Newell & Bonnie Anderson says
A neighbor, a sports fan, a public servant, a veteran, and a great friend all contained in a very involved and caring Irishman , was Jim ODonnell. He will never be forgotten by so many who knew him. Thank you Shirley & family for sharing him with each of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Donna & Ed Sheehy says
Shirley & family: Jim was an “Irish angel”. Always so willing to help other people. That was his gift. Dona & I could never repay you both for all the help you provided my parents and me. It was such a pleasure for me to come and visit you both. Jim and my father are now competing with each other on who has the best Irish storie, in Heaven.
We are so sorry for your loss.
Donna & Ed
Timm Goettel says
Jim was one of the nicest men I ever had the pleasure of knowing. Always had time to stop during one of his walks and ask how you were doing. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Laura Plough says
Shirley, Cathy, Jim, Larry, Sherry and families, I am so very sorry to learn of Jim’s passing. I have wonderful memories of him and his love of family, sports and Notre Dame! I was privileged to be welcomed into the O’Donnell home and share in many family celebrations. I know how much you will all miss him, and I know that you will share stories about him with the youngest family members so that they will know how much they were loved, and how much Jim loved all of you. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Laura