Sgt. James G O'Brien

Sgt. James G. O'Brien, 47

Wynantskill - James G. O'Brien, 47, of Wynantskill, NY died Tuesday, December 28, 2010, after a long journey battling leukemia. He was born in Troy and is the son of Gerald and Barbara Kelly O'Brien of Troy.

Jim was a graduate of Catholic Central High School, Hudson Valley Community College and The Bureau of Municipal Police Training Council. He began his career in law enforcement in 1984 with The Lake George Village Police Department. In 1986, he joined the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department until 1990, when he began his 20 + year career with The Troy Police Department. Jim worked in many divisions of the police department and was promoted to Sergeant in 2004. He was an 18 year member of the Troy Police Department's Emergency Response Team, serving in recent years as Assistant Team Leader. During his law enforcement career, he received numerous citations and awards including the Troy PBA Silver Shield Award in 1997. Jim was retired earlier this year from the Troy Police Department due to his illness.

He was an active member of The Troy Police Benevolent Association, serving for many years on the Board of Directors. He was also a member of The Police Conference of New York, The Fraternal Order of Police- Capital District Lodge 14, The NYS Tactical Officers Association and The National Tactical Officers Association.

Jim was an active volunteer with The Averill Park Youth Soccer League, coaching recreational and competitive soccer for 12 years. He enjoyed fishing, cross country skiing and vacationing at the beaches of Delaware. Jim was an avid Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees and Boston Bruins fan. Jim's greatest love was spending time with his family and his 2 dogs, Lou and Bryer. He was a communicant of St. Henry's Church in Averill Park.

He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Sally Haggerty and his cherished daughters, Casey Marie and Aileen Elizabeth. In addition to his parents, he is also survived by 4 sisters, Susan (Richard) Wyld of Cohoes, Kathleen O'Brien of Selkirk, Sharon Vest of Wynantskill and Maureen (Stephen) Pace of Grafton. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. He was also deeply loved by his in-law family.

The family would like to extend its sincere thanks and appreciation to Dr. Alan Rauch, and also Drs. Harry Dunn and Peter Burkart and the staff of NYOH for their compassionate and wonderful care for the past 4 years. A special thanks also to Dr. Robert Soiffer and Amy Joyce, NP at Dana Farber Cancer Institute for their exceptional care; as well as to the nurses and staff on the Apheresis unit at Albany Medical Center and to the nurses and staff of D4E at Albany Medical Center for their outstanding care and kindness over the years.

Funeral service will be held Monday at 11:30AM at the Bryce Funeral Home, Inc. 276 Pawling Avenue Troy and at 12 NOON at Sacred Heart Church Troy where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. James J. Vaughan, Pastor.

Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 4-8 PM.

Interment will be in Albany Rural Cemetery Menands.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Brookline Place West, 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445 and specified to the Bone Marrow Transplant Program; or to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Upstate NY/VT Chapter, 5 Computer Drive West, Albany, NY 12205.

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