NATCHEZ — Services for Dr. William Thomas O’Brien Jr., 94, of Natchez, who died Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, at Adams County Nursing Center, will be at 1 p.m. today at St. Mary Basilica with the Rev. David O’Connor officiating.

Burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 11:30 a.m. until service time today at the church.

Dr. O’Brien was born June 24, 1916, in New Orleans, the son of William Thomas O’Brien and Wilhelmina Muhs O’Brien. He was a 1934 graduate of St. Stanislaus School in Bay St. Louis and conferred the doctor of dental surgery degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945, with duty at Corpus Christi Naval Base and Galveston Naval Base in Texas, San Diego Naval Base in California and Samar in the Philippines, where he started the naval base dental clinic and served as its senior dental officer. He held the rank of lieutenant commander at the time of his discharge from the Navy. He practiced dentistry in Natchez from 1946 until 1991.

Dr. O’Brien married Alice Lafaye in New Orleans in October 1941. He was a loving and devoted husband and father to this family for more than 69 years. He was a member of St. Mary Basilica, American Dental Association, Mississippi Dental Association, Kiwanis Club, Knights of Columbus and served as commander of the American Legion “40&8.”

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, John D. O’Brien, Charles P. O’Brien and James H. O’Brien; one son-in-law, Robert L. Henry; and one daughter-in-law, Sherry C. O’Brien.

Survivors include his wife of Natchez; three daughters, Lynne C. Henry of Calabash, N.C., Barbara J. Brock and husband, Chip, of Naperville, Ill., and Kathleen A. Letaw of Stone Mountain, Ga.; three sons, Dr. William T. O’Brien III and wife, Barbara, and James S. O’Brien, all of Natchez, and David R. O’Brien and wife, Pam, of Germantown, Tenn.; 17 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be James L. Henson, David M. Armstrong, Ardell Smith, John D. O’Brien Jr., Michael S. O’Brien and Brennan T. O’Brien.

The O’Brien family is warmly grateful to Dr. Kenneth Stubbs for his wonderful care.

Memorials may be made to the St. Mary Basilica Family Life Center, P.O. Box 1044, Natchez, MS 39121 or to a charity of choice.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.