As Moline leaders and the Quad Cities community prepare to lay to rest Moline Alderman Pat O’Brien on Friday, tributes are pouring in for the tireless public servant and community advocate who died Sunday, Dec. 10.
Visitation is 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at Rafferty Funeral Home, 2111-1st St. A, Moline and a Mass of Christian burial is set for 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Moline. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, East Moline.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Moline City Council observed a moment of silence for Mr. O’Brien and honored his service on the council, including in the Sixth Ward aldermanic seat he held at the time of his death.
“Pat was a fierce community advocate, lifting up the causes he cared so much about, such as addressing poverty, environmental issues, and workers’ rights not only in word, but also in deed,” Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said in a statement prior to the meeting.
That included in Moline where Mr. O’Brien served as alderman twice: two terms in the Second Ward at the turn of the century, and again after being elected to represent Moline’s Sixth Ward in 2021. He also previously served District 10 which includes Moline, on the Rock Island County Board.
“His multiple terms of service as alderperson as well as his time as a county board member are a testament to his commitment to these ideals and his commitment to each of us,” said Ms. Raypati, who as mayor is charged by law with appointing someone to take Mr. O’Brien’s seat.
Dedicated to public service
“We will always remember Pat for his leadership, the guidance he shared with others, and his great love for the City of Moline,” added Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas. “Pat truly dedicated his life to public service and was always selfless in looking after the best interests of all those he served through the decades.”
For friends, colleagues and fellow advocates, Mr. O’Brien’s loss was made even harder by the death in May 2022 of his wife, partner and fellow activist Cecelia O’Brien.
Doug House, former longtime Moline public works director and Rock Island County and statewide Democratic Party leader, is among the local, regional and statewide friends and admirers of an influential power couple focused on doing public good.
“His life of public service will be a lasting reminder to all of us of how to care for our neighbors and our community. We were privileged to know and work alongside him,” Mr. House told the QCBJ.
“Pat was truly dedicated to public service, family, and friends. He was one half of a team that included his wife Cecilia; that team was never the same after her passing,” he added.
“They were givers and they gave all they had to offer to everyone they encountered.”
Partnership a ‘love story’
Throughout the years, Mr. House said, “They could always be found together working for the better of the Moline community. They were leaders in everything that they were involved with including at church, at council, county board, at the state or federal government, union leadership, historic preservation, animal care and shelters.
“Now with Pat’s passing, we will all try to pick up the pieces and dedicate ourselves to carrying on as they would have,” Mr. House added. “In the end, we would all want our lives to have meant something and their lives certainly did. Theirs was a love story and a partnership in making their community better.”
Mr. O’Brien’s admirers go well beyond the Quad Cities borders.
They include his most recent boss, Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs. “Today, we are mourning the sudden passing of Pat O’Brien, who worked in the State Treasurer’s Office as a community affairs specialist,” Mr. Frerichs wrote. “He was an employee, but also a true friend. Pat was a community leader and activist who touched the lives of many in the Quad Cities. Most importantly, he was a loving father, grandfather, and husband.”
Those left to honor Mr. and Mrs. O’Brien’s memories include: daughter, Kelly (Jeff) Sidor, Denver, Colorado; grandsons, Owen and Ian; sisters, Bernadette (Steve) Morford, Bettendorf, and Elizabeth O’Brien, Silvis, and brothers, Phillip O’Brien, Oak Brook, Illinois; Dennis O’Brien, Marrietta, Georgia; and Matthew O’Brien, Bettendorf.
