O’BRIEN, John D.
John Dennis O’Brien, whose civic and political engagement culminated with him helping revive the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce to create new jobs and housing across the Cape, passed away April 2, 2024, surrounded by his loving family.
He was the family’s strong leader and taught his children and grandchildren their lives should focus on two touchstones: Faith and Family.
John, 90, was the sixth born of the eight children of Margaret “Rita” (Mahoney) and Arthur O’Brien of South Boston. He graduated from Rockland High School in 1951.
John met his future wife, Anne Nicholson Murphy, that fall when both began as freshmen at Brown University. John played tackle for the football team. The couple graduated in 1955 and married in 1956.
In 1960, John and Anne had their first child, John D. O’Brien Jr.
Shortly thereafter, John’s longtime employer, ITT Semiconductor, relocated the family from Chicago to the Northeast. They settled in Scituate, and had their second son, Thomas N. O’Brien, in 1963. A third, William J. O’Brien, was born in 1969.
In Scituate, John served as chairman of the Board of Selectmen and was a leader in creating the first units of designated affordable housing in Scituate, built in partnership with the Archdiocese of Boston Planning Office.
In addition to his elective office,
John served on the Massachusetts
State and Andover Town Democratic committees at the urging of former Gov. Michael Dukakis.
In 1978, the family settled in Andover. All three sons now live in Massachusetts themselves.
John O’Brien Jr. went on to be elected to the Massachusetts Senate and today is chief operating officer of JERA, a Japanese energy company.
Tom O’Brien is the CEO and managing partner of the HYM Investment
Group LLC in Boston. Bill O’Brien was recently named the head football coach at Boston College.
In 1992, John Sr. began a second career as executive director of the
Cape Cod Economic Development Commission. He and Anne moved to Harwich and John eventually oversaw the merger of the Cape Cod Economic Development Commission with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.
The new entity became a force for creating new jobs on Cape Cod through initiatives such as the Chamber’s microlending program, credited with creating over 7,000 jobs on the Cape.
Anne, meanwhile, built a career as an educator and librarian, working at Memorial Hall Library in Andover, Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell and the Orleans Public Library.
John was happiest when he and Anne were surrounded by their sons and their families, including their grandchildren: Matthew, Kate, Lucas, Nina, Tomas, Dureti, Jack and Michael.
John was pre-deceased by another granddaughter, Marisol.
John deeply loved each of his daughters-in-law - Kathleen, Tricia and Colleen - and was part a very large extended family of O’Brien and Murphy cousins who will all miss him dearly.
In addition, John had a very large group of friends with whom he often played golf or enjoyed meals at Cummaquid Golf Club on Cape Cod.
In recent years, John was primary caregiver for Anne. He was predeceased by his parents and six of his siblings: Arthur O’Brien, Rita Ledwell, Paul O’Brien, Lea Riley, Kathy Doyle and Mary-Kate O’Brien.
In addition to Anne, John is survived by his sister Sheila Burke of Abington.
John will be remembered at a Wake on Sunday, April 7, 2024, from 4-8 p.m. at the Chapman Funeral Home, 678 Main Street Ext., Harwich.
A funeral Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 246 Main Street (Route 28), West Harwich.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s name to The Family Pantry of Cape Cod, 133 Queen Anne Road, Harwich, MA, 02645.