Mary O'Brien

Mary C. O'Brien, 93, New Effington, SD, passed away Friday, November 29, 2019, in her home.

Funeral services will be Friday, December 6, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Sisseton, SD, with Father Jerome Ranek officiating.  Music will be provided by Cindy Marohl and Sandi Jaspers.

Burial will be in the St. Peter's Cemetery.  Honorary pallbearers will be all of Mary's grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her great-great-grandchild.  Active pallbearers will be Mary's grandsons and great-grandsons, Jason Skjonsberg, Eric Skjonsberg, Tyler Skjonsberg, Josiah Skjonsberg, Jevon Skjonsberg, Jayvyn Hull and Christian Skjonsberg.

Visitation will be Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Sisseton.  Visitation will continue Friday morning one hour prior to the service at the church.

Mary Catherine was born February 4, 1926, in Milbank, SD, to John J. and Mary (Graf) Thyne.  She was the oldest of four children and grew up on what was known as the Hartford Beach farm near Big Stone Lake.  She went to grade school in Geneseo #4 and graduated from Ortonville, MN, High School in 1944.  Following graduation, she helped on the farm milking the cows and feeding the hogs.  She also shocked grain and rode the grain binder for the flax harvest.  In September 1944, she was asked to help out paying Dairy Feed subsidies at the AAA Office (Agricultural Adjustment Administration) in Sisseton, SD, a part-time job.  On October 1, 1944, she was hired full time, a job that lasted 36 plus years.  The name of the office later changed to PMA, ACA, ASC and finally ASCS.  She retired February 6, 1981.

While living in Sisseton, she met Phillip (Pete) O'Brien through mutual friends.  They were married at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank, SD, on May 9, 1949.  They lived and worked in Sisseton until August 1959 when they moved to their farm in Hart Township.  They became the parents of three daughters, Kathleen, Eileen and Connie, who died in infancy.  Pete passed away in 2013.

After moving to the farm in 1959, she continued her job in Sisseton and also helped with the cattle and hogs.  She was a sheep raiser for 42 years.

Mary was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Sisseton and a member of St. Peter's Altar Society.  She was also a member of the Sisseton Chapter of NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees).

Mary enjoyed dancing, crocheting, camping, embroidering, doing word puzzles and crossword puzzles, watching game shows on TV and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Her family was very important to her.

Mary and Pete enjoyed traveling.  They visited all 50 states and parts of Canada and Mexico.  They spent about 20 winters in Texas in their motor home.

Survivors include her two daughters, Kathleen O'Brien of New Effington and Eileen (Bob) Skjonsberg of Sisseton; three grandchildren, Jason (Sherri) Skjonsberg of New Effington, Kristy (Jason) Hull of Claire City, SD, and Eric (Jinky) Skjonsberg of Browns Valley, MN; 15 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and sister, Patricia Karels of Hopkins, MN.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; an infant daughter, Connie O'Brien; great-grandchildren, Keon and LillyAnna Hull; two brothers, James "Jim" Thyne and Robert "Bob" Thyne; a half-brother, Jack Thyne; and a half-sister, Helen Green.