Obituary for James J "Jim" O'Donnell III
James Joseph O’Donnell III died peacefully at his home in Warrington, PA on July 24th at the age of 86.
Jim was born on 12/30/1934 in the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA to James J. O’Donnell II and Mary Driscoll O’Donnell. He is predeceased by his oldest sister Eileen McGilloway who passed in May 1998, and he is survived by his younger brother Charles and younger sister Suzanne Haurin.
Jim is survived by his wife Phyllis Kane O’Donnell.
He is preceded in death by the mother of their six children, Arlene Sajda O’Donnell, who passed in July 1994. Jim and Arlene’s children are Jim (Mary), Colleen McDonald (Mike), John (Christine), Arlene Cardie (Dave), Tom (Paula), and Charlene Eskolsky (Jason).
Jim enjoyed the company of his nineteen grandchildren – Brendan (Ashley), Ryan, Sean (Justine), Kelly (Bobby), Katelyn (Michael), Shannon (Jim), Steven (Cristin), Briana, Erin, Julia, Justin, James, Conor, Colin, Mackenzie, Elizabeth, Tyler, Kaleigh, and Lisa. Four great grandchildren also joined the family – Emma, Annie, Collins, and Harper.
Jim graduated from St. Leo’s Grade School and North Catholic High School (class of 1952), where his nickname was “Oogie”, and he once played basketball against Wilt Chamberlain. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1953 to support the Korean War effort and earned the rank of Corporal. He spent time in South Carolina and Hawaii, followed by sixteen months in Korea serving his country. He served five additional years in the Marine Corps Reserve and was honorably discharged in 1961. Jim graduated from LaSalle University in 1965. He worked as Director of Distribution and Logistics at American Chemical in Ambler, PA for over twenty years, and retired in 1993. He spent the bulk of his retirement years as a full-time resident of Ocean City NJ, and he attempted to master the game of golf at Greate Bay Country Club.
Jim was very active in the formative years at Somerton Youth Organization as a popular baseball and basketball coach. He supported both St. Christopher’s (Phila.) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (OCNJ) as well as the Knights of Columbus. He was a loyal member of the VFW.
Celebration of Life will be held on Friday July 30th. Guests can pay their respects at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, 13301 Proctor Road, Phila., PA. from 9:30am to 10:45am, and a funeral mass will be held at St. Christopher’s at 11am, followed by Internment at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne, PA.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Semper Fi & America’s Fund (semperfifund.org) for combat wounded and injured Marines.
Jim was born on 12/30/1934 in the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA to James J. O’Donnell II and Mary Driscoll O’Donnell. He is predeceased by his oldest sister Eileen McGilloway who passed in May 1998, and he is survived by his younger brother Charles and younger sister Suzanne Haurin.
Jim is survived by his wife Phyllis Kane O’Donnell.
He is preceded in death by the mother of their six children, Arlene Sajda O’Donnell, who passed in July 1994. Jim and Arlene’s children are Jim (Mary), Colleen McDonald (Mike), John (Christine), Arlene Cardie (Dave), Tom (Paula), and Charlene Eskolsky (Jason).
Jim enjoyed the company of his nineteen grandchildren – Brendan (Ashley), Ryan, Sean (Justine), Kelly (Bobby), Katelyn (Michael), Shannon (Jim), Steven (Cristin), Briana, Erin, Julia, Justin, James, Conor, Colin, Mackenzie, Elizabeth, Tyler, Kaleigh, and Lisa. Four great grandchildren also joined the family – Emma, Annie, Collins, and Harper.
Jim graduated from St. Leo’s Grade School and North Catholic High School (class of 1952), where his nickname was “Oogie”, and he once played basketball against Wilt Chamberlain. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1953 to support the Korean War effort and earned the rank of Corporal. He spent time in South Carolina and Hawaii, followed by sixteen months in Korea serving his country. He served five additional years in the Marine Corps Reserve and was honorably discharged in 1961. Jim graduated from LaSalle University in 1965. He worked as Director of Distribution and Logistics at American Chemical in Ambler, PA for over twenty years, and retired in 1993. He spent the bulk of his retirement years as a full-time resident of Ocean City NJ, and he attempted to master the game of golf at Greate Bay Country Club.
Jim was very active in the formative years at Somerton Youth Organization as a popular baseball and basketball coach. He supported both St. Christopher’s (Phila.) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (OCNJ) as well as the Knights of Columbus. He was a loyal member of the VFW.
Celebration of Life will be held on Friday July 30th. Guests can pay their respects at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, 13301 Proctor Road, Phila., PA. from 9:30am to 10:45am, and a funeral mass will be held at St. Christopher’s at 11am, followed by Internment at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne, PA.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Semper Fi & America’s Fund (semperfifund.org) for combat wounded and injured Marines.