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a. Note:   Excerpts from "It All Started", an autobrigraphy by Mary Lou Montgomery "O'Brien, Obie's wife; "Harold Kenneth "Obie" O'Brien was born December 17, 1909 in Kingston, Illinois. His mother was Maude Lillian Moyers and his father was John William "Jack" O'Brien. At the time of his birth he had two sisters, Beulah, born Dec. 27, 1903 and Berneldine, born July 4, 1906. His brother, Boyd, was born July 5, 1911 and another sister, Anna, on December 30, 1913.
  Maude O'Brien's parents were John and Nancy (Goble) Moyers. Maude had three older brothers, Leslie, Boyd and Bert. She was born August 20, 1879. John "Jack" O'Brien's parents were William (born in County Tipperary, Ireland) and Johanna (Dohorty) O'Brien (born in Wigan England.) "Jack" was born in Wigan on September 18, 1868 and emigrated to the U.S.A. with his parents in 1869. He had two sisters who died in infancy and a younger brother, Joseph.
  When Harold "Obie" O'Brien was eleven months old he was stricken with infantile paralysis, known today as polio. In those days not much could be done for polio. One thing they tried was "mud baths". I believe he spent some time in a sanitarium as a small boy. I have pictures of a wheelchair, and of him with a cane or crutches. Also, one with brother Boyd, standing on their heads! I know that Boyd would pull him to school in their little wagon. I don't know how old he was when he was first fitted for leg braces, but he wore a full one on his left leg and one up to his knee on his right leg for the rest of his life.
  I also know that he grew up surrounded by love and discipline and music. Jack played the violin and trumpet, Maude played the mandolin, and they both sang in the church choir. Obie was taught to play the piano, but didn't like to practice, so his mom gave him the choice of practicing or washing dishes and he chose to wash dishes. He also learned to play the trumpet and he really loved that! He gained a reputation in Sycamore, Illinois (where the family now lived), DeKalb, and the Fox River Valley for his fine jazz trumpet and his improvisation. Unfortunately, his father didn't live to know of this. Jack contracted pneumonia and, complicated by spinal meningitis, passed away on March 5, 1923. Jack was only 54 years old and Obie was just 13. In High School his music teacher took an interest in him, helping to steer him to a career in music. He graduated from Sycamore High in 1928 and then took several music courses at Northern Illinois Teachers College in DeKalb.
  I don't know what early groups he played with, but he often mentioned going to Harbor Springs, Michigan, several summers with Jerry Glidden's Orchestra. Other ones were Orrin Tucker at the Spanish TeaRoom in Naperville, Illinois and Carl Stetzel at the Log Cabin Ballroom at the Fairgrounds in North Aurora. The first time I met Obie he had played a job with my brother Bob (drummer), and came home with him to sleep. I was working at Fisher's bakery and it was Saturday and I came home for lunch. When they came down stairs Bob introduced us and Obie offered me a ride back to work. This was in the summer of 1932.
  The next time I saw Obie was at the racetrack at the Fairgrounds. We met just by chance and we said, "Hi" and not much else. Then, in 1933, IT ALL STARTED."
  BODY DONATED TO SCIENCE AT DEATH.


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