Zachary Lee Huddleston was baptized on Sunday, April 25, 2010, during the morning worship service at First Presbyterian Church in Wetumpka.  Zach is the son of Neva (Borders) and Brian Huddleston of Auburn.  He is the grandson of Nancy (O'Brien) and Lee Borders, and the great-grandson of Joyce and Mickey O'Brien and great-great-grandson of Dorothy and Joe O'Brien (Aunt Dot and Uncle Joe). ...


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The birth of Zachary Lee Huddleston is not the only news in the O’Brien Family. Joyce O’Brien gave us a health update on her daughter Belinda Joyce "Lindy" O'Brien Mastin. ... Lindy’s knee has healed, and she is continuing rehab!... Joyce also had some great news about her great-niece Jaden Ashley Rountree! She is planning to attend college at Huntingdon next year, and she will be playing soccer there....

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The headline news in the O’Brien family is the birth of little Zachary Lee Huddleston! He was born on 29 January 2010 at 1:26 p.m. at East Alabama Medical Center in Auburn, Lee County, AL. He weighed in at 8 pounds and was 20 inches long. Proud mama and daddy are Brian and Neva Catherine Borders Huddleston. [See Zach’s photo album here!] ...

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The Trebus Family is making quite a splash in theater in North Alabama! Read this note from Joyce O'Brien...

My great-granddaughter, Emily Anne Trebus, is Toto in The Wizard of Oz production at Snead State Community College in Boaz, AL. Her brother, Jake, is one of the Munchkins, and her mother, Melissa, is in the chorus. Melissa, who is a regular actress with The Whole Backstage little-theatre group in Guntersville, AL, is getting her children started early, and they love it. Check out Toto in the poster [at right].

Joyce O'Brien

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[NOTE: See update at bottom of this post for a special message from Josephine’s daughter Tana Rountree and Josephine’s obituary.]

We are very sad to report that Josephine “Josie” Pierson O’Brien Rountree passed away this morning. This from her sister-in-law, Joyce O’Brien.

Josephine died about 12:30 P.M. today, October 9, 2009, at the nursing home in Ocean Springs, MS.  Please keep the family in your prayers.   They are planning to have a memorial service, and the plans will be on the website as soon as they are completed.

Josephine was the daughter of Joseph Nathaniel and Dorothy Dixson Johnson O'Brien (Uncle "Joe" and Aunt "Dot"). Wylie Pierson Johnson (Uncle Wylie) adds this remembrance of Josephine’s birth and family history:

Josephine Pierson O'Brien was the first baby born in Montgomery, Al in 1940, She was born 1 January 1940, New Years Day, shortly after midnight, while people were still singing Auld Lang Syne. The Montgomery Advertiser did a feature article on her arrival as the first child born in Montgomery in 1940.

 Josephine's mother, my sister Dot, told me she named her Pierson after me. I always accepted the fact that I shared that honor with my father's sister, my aunt Mary Larkin Johnson Brockway Pierson,  after whom I was named Pierson.

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UPDATE: The following sent from Tana this afternoon (10/9/09)...

I want to let everyone know my sweet little mama, Josephine O'Brien Rountree, passed away today. She showed her strength & courage til the very end. There are not enough words to say how very proud of her I am.

As of right now, we are planning a memorial service for her on Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009, at 4:00 pm with a visitation at 3:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Ocean Springs, MS. Scottie & I are going to the funeral home this afternoon to take care of the arrangements.

We are asking that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the American Cancer Society &/or the Humane Society of South Mississippi.

Thanks for all of the prayers, cards, & visits. I cannot tell you how much they meant to Mama.

Love,
Tana, Scottie, & family

Following is Josephine’s obituary to appear in the Ocean Springs, MS newspaper, The Sun Herald, on 11 October 2009.

Josephine “Jo” Pierson O’Brien Rountree, age 69, of Ocean Springs, MS, died Friday, October 09, 2009 in Ocean Springs after a very courageous battle with cancer.

Josephine was the first baby born on January 1, 1940, in Montgomery, AL.Josephine retired from the Air Force Reserves in 2000 and she was very proud of her military life.

Josephine is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph N. and Dorothy J. O’Brien and by her brother, Seth Michael “Mickey” O’Brien.

Survivors include her daughter, Tana Rountree; her son, Scott Rountree; her five grandchildren, Ricky Rountree, Brandi Rountree, Jaden Rountree, Clifford Kostmayer, and Dustin Kostmayer; her sister-in-law, Joyce G. O’Brien; her sister, Neva L Brewer and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 from 3pm – 4pm with a memorial service immediately following, all at First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs in Ocean Springs, MS.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to the American Cancer Society and/or the Humane Society of South Mississippi.

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Following is an update on the condition of Josephine “Josie” Rountree from her daughter, Tana Rountree. Josie was diagnosed in April, 2009 as having cancer. Tana has been kind enough to keep the family informed about her mother over the last months. For those who would like to read more about Josie’s condition, see those postings on the “Health Updates” pages. Josephine Pierson O’Brien Rountree is the daughter of Joseph Nathaniel and Dorothy Dixson Johnson O'Brien (Uncle "Joe" and Aunt "Dot").

Not really sure where to start, but here it goes. Hospice has been called in to begin caring for Mama. It appears that during the last week, Mama has started to make a turn for the worse. The hospice nurse talked with Scottie & me & then spent some time with Mama. Afterwards Scottie visited with Mama & she told him that she's not afraid anymore, that the way she is living now is no way to live. She is finally at peace with things.Please keep her in your prayers, especially now as we go into the final stages of the illness.I'm sorry to say that this is the last update that I will be sending.Please just keep her in your prayers!!Love,Tana, Scottie, & family

Tana, we certainly will keep your mother in our prayers. Family members can send their messages of caring and love to Josie’s home and the family will see that she gets the mail:

Josephine Rountree
2810 Belmont Dr.
Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Send email to Tana at:
tlr1462(at)yahoo(dot)com

We are sad to report that on 7 August 2009, at 1:25 P.M., Bennie Doyle “Pete” Brewer passed away in Monroe, LA. You may have read in earlier Health Updates about Pete that he suffered from serious heart problems, pulmonary fibrosis and pneumonia....

UPDATE: The following information about Pete’s funeral service from Joyce O’Brien. Thank you, again, Joyce.

The visitation will be Sunday [9 August 2009] from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M. (4:00 family gathering) at Mulhearn Funeral Home on Highway 165 North in Monroe, LA.  The funeral will be Monday morning [10 August] at 10:00 A.M. at the funeral home. Share this with any other family members that you can.

Thank you, again, Joyce....

UPDATE 2: Joyce and daughters Lindy Mastin and Nancy Borders will not be able to attend Pete’s funeral after all due to getting to and getting ready for school. They are very sad about this. Lindy and Nancy must get back to their schools. Joyce and Lindy just returned from getting grandson/son Alex settled in at Auburn, too. Joyce sends this...

Mulhearn Funeral Home also has a Flower shop, which will be open after 9:00 A.M. today.  Nancy has already sent flowers, and Lindy and I are sending some this morning.  If any of you want to do so, the phone number is 1-800-442-4385.  The funeral home also has a website and condolences can be sent to the family online, www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com.

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Joyce O’Brien shares the following with us.

Pete Brewer, husband of Neva O'Brien Brewer, is seriously ill and in ICU in the hospital in Monroe, LA.  He has pneumonia and heart failure and is on a ventilator.  Pete was diagnosed a couple of months ago with pulmonary fibrosis, and he has serious heart problems.  Keep Pete, Neva, and their family in your prayers.

Joyce

Pete’s wife Neva is the daughter of Joseph Nathaniel and Dorothy Dixson Johnson Brewer (Uncle Joe, “Peanut”, and Aunt “Dot”). This will be posted in the Health Updates, also, along with updates as received. We don’t have a current address for the Brewers but will post if/when we can. Please do keep Pete, Neva and family in your prayers.
UPDATE: Pete and Neva’s daughter Kathy Gilliland sent her parents’ address:

Pete and Neva Brewer
1412 University Avenue
Monroe, LA 71203

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On 22 May 2009, Jared Michael "Jake" Cross graduated from Clinton High School in Clinton, AR. ...



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We are sad to hear that Josephine "Josie" Pierson O'Brien Rountree has been diagnosed with cancer. Her daughter Tana Lynn Rountree has been very good about keeping family members up to date on her mother's health status. ... Read More...

As we reported last month, Tana Rountree asked for the family's good luck and best wishes for her pending singing performance on April 23 in a talent competition at the Imperial Palace in Biloxi, MS. Not only were we thinking of her, but she also had cousins there to cheer her on in person! In this picture, left to right are Tana's daughter, Brandi Rountree, Tana Rountree, Terri Murphy O'Neal, & Terri's daughter, Leigh Anne Collier.... Read More...