June C. O'Brien

June Christine (Plym) O'Brien, 73, of Galesburg, died on Dec. 20, 2020, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois.  June was born on Feb. 2, 1947, in Kewanee, Illinois, the daughter of Ellen and Donald Plym. As a child, she lived on various farms in the Peoria and Knox County area. She graduated from Galesburg High School in 1965 and the Cottage Hospital School of Nursing in 1968.  On June 1, 1968, she married James "Jim" O'Brien at Corpus Christi Church in Galesburg. They were married for more than 52 years. He survives as do their children, Jimmy (Becky) O'Brien of Galesburg, and their daughter Nicole, Don (Stacey), O'Brien of Troy, Illinois, and their sons, Derek and Reid, and Margaret (Troy) Reagan of Quincy, Illinois, and their son, Caleb. June is also survived by her sister, Donna Syron, of Galesburg, and her children, Christi Syron and Bryan Syron, both of Galesburg.  June loved her family and always put them first. She doted on her children and grandchildren. She and her husband, Jim, were inseparable. They lived in Galesburg their entire married lives. June loved the music of Elvis Presley and watching figure skating and gymnastics. She always looked forward to the Olympics so she could watch the skaters and gymnasts in action. June never met a stranger. She helped people for nearly 40 years while working as a nurse at Cottage Hospital prior to her retirement in 2008. June was also active in the Galesburg American Legion Post 285 Auxiliary. She was a past president of the organization, spending many hours in her retirement helping veterans in Galesburg and the surrounding area. She was preceded in death by her parents.  Cremation is being accorded with Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory of Galesburg handling. A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. Memorials may be made in June's memory to the Knox County Humane Society.