Mary Jean Sims: January 8, 1937 ~ August 15, 2026, Age 89
Mary Jean Sims, 89, passed away on August 15, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. Mary Jean was born on January 8, 1937, at her parents’ home in Omaha, Nebraska, during a blizzard.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Genevieve O’Brien; her seven brothers and sisters: Beverly (Maurice) McCann, Robert (Patricia) O’Brien, Louise (Kenneth) Miller, Mickey O’Brien, William O’Brien, Colleen (William) Johnston, and Catherine (Joe) Casey; her husband, Daniel; and her grandson Ryan.
For most of their fifty years of marriage, Mary Jean was Dan’s co-pilot in life and in the businesses he launched, including Convenient Food Marts and Bellevue Keno Lottery, Nebraska’s first keno casino. Her volunteer roles were too numerous to count, with her work at St. Mary’s and with the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians especially close to her heart. But Mary Jean’s greatest gift was simply being Mary Jean. She loved being surrounded by family and friends, feeding and entertaining them, and saying yes whenever fun was involved. Her generous hospitality, sharp wit, and famously unfiltered honesty — sometimes intentionally funny and sometimes even funnier when it wasn’t— made her unforgettable. She brought people together, made them laugh, and made life more fun. She will be deeply missed by the many, many people who loved her.
She is survived by her children Maureen (Rich) Raven, Daniel (Diane) Sims, John Sims (Julaine Drake), Michaela (Jon) Sims-Stewart, and Garrett (Kristine) Sims; Her grandchildren Jonathan (Amber), Courtney Flott, Danny, Lea Erhart, Natalie (Rob) Farrell, Elijah Drake, Tanner, Ted Raven, Charlie (Olivia), Shannon, Joseph, Sam Stewart, and Jack Stewart; Her great-grandchildren Cullen, Raegan, Mia, and Robert; and sister-in-law Jan O’Brien.
Visitation: Thursday, August 20, 5:00-7:00 pm, with Vigil Service at 7:00 pm at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 2302 S. Crawford St, Bellevue, NE 68005
Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, August 21, 11:00 am, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 2302 S. Crawford St, Bellevue, NE 68005
To view a live broadcast of the Vigil Service and Memorial Mass, visit www.bellevuefuneralchapel.com and click on the “Live Cast” option in the menu.
Memorials: St. Mary’s of Bellevue Catholic Church / https://stmarysbellevue.com
