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.
Rita and Arthur moved their young family from Southie to Quincy, and John was born in the city’s Wollaston section.
John played football and basketball at Rockland High School. He worked odd jobs throughout his childhood, delivering newspapers, serving as a summer mailman and driving a milk truck for White Brothers Dairy on Cape Cod.
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 would proudly tell people he was an English major, and that he loved to read and write during his entire life.
He also was part of a football family: His father, Arthur, played for the Pere Marquette Knights at M Street Park in South Boston, and his brother Paul played for an Ivy League rival, Harvard University.
John himself played tackle for Brown from 1951 to 1954.
He and Anne, who became great friends during their four years together in Providence, graduated in 1955.
Anne worked briefly as a flight attendant for United Airlines, wanting to travel and live in New York City, before the couple married in 1956.
The O’Briens began their life together in the Chicago area, where John launched a career in sales and Anne worked at Northwestern University in Evanston.
John became a success in the burgeoning semiconductor industry – today known as “chips” - and began a long affiliation with ITT Semiconductor.
In 1960, John and Anne had their first child, John D. O’Brien Jr., in Evanston.
Shortly thereafter, John accepted a position with ITT that brought the family back to the Northeast. They settled in Scituate, Mass., and had their second son, Thomas N. O’Brien, in 1963.
Their third son, William J. O’Brien, was born in 1969.
In Scituate, John served three terms on the Board of Selectmen, ultimately as its chairman. He was a leader in creating the first units of designated affordable housing in Scituate in the early 1970s, which were created in partnership with the Archdiocese of Boston Planning Office.
He and Anne gave their three sons a love of politics and government and taught them about their Faith’s call to actively and positively impact one’s community.
Until his final days, John would devour three newspapers daily, and urge his children and grandchildren to make a positive impact on their community.
In addition to his elective office, John served as a state delegate supporting former Gov. Michael Dukakis and served on the Massachusetts State and Andover Town Democratic committees at his urging.
In 1975, John was transferred by ITT to Atlanta, and the family moved to a new home in the city. In 1978, ITT transferred John back to Massachusetts, and 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 nearly doubled in membership and tripled in budget during his tenure.
It also became a force for creating new jobs on Cape Cod through initiatives such as the Chamber’s micro-lending program, which is 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 and serving as head librarian at the Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell. She also served as librarian at 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.
Notes of comfort to the family can be posted at www.chapmanfuneral.com.
Posted online on April 04, 2024
Published in Cape Cod Times
