Richard James O'Brien

Richard James O’Brien 1924-2023

After living an extraordinary life, Richard O’Brien passed peacefully on June 19, 2023 at the age of 98. His children surrounded him with love in his final days.  His home was filled with many reminders of his happy life, including pictures of family, relatives, and friends.

Dad loved to tell a good story. This is our Dad’s story.

Early Years

Dick O’Brien was born on September 19, 1924 in Wessington, South Dakota.  He was the only son of George and Anna O’Brien and brother to Connie, Eileen, and Patricia. When the Great Depression hit in 1929, work became scarce.  At the urging of Uncle Ray, the family packed up the car and moved to Los Angeles to find employment. They found a new home in Nativity Parish. Dick sometimes talked about his humble start in life.  He mentioned that his Mom had a garden, and they ate a lot of carrots. He said it was a time when families were close, money was shared, and people took care of each other. Dick attended Nativity School and Mt. Carmel High School.

The world and his life changed when WWII started in 1939.  At 19, he was drafted into the Army and was soon sent to fight in Europe with the 35th Infantry Division. For two years, Dick fought alongside other brave men throughout France in General Patton’s 3rd Army. He wrote many letters home to his Mom Anna, downplaying the immense suffering of wartime so she would not worry about him.  She prayed for her son constantly. He said later this was the reason for his lifelong strong Catholic faith.

The War years came to define Dick’s life.  However, he kept his stories to himself. Like so many WWII Veterans, he returned home and got to work, got married, and raised children. The stories would keep until the 50th Anniversary of D-Day. Then, Dad shared his experiences of the war.  He attended several reunions with the 35th Infantry.  He returned to France on a tour to retrace the troop movements of the 35th Infantry.  He and other Veterans shared their experiences and visited many American cemeteries. Tom, Mike and Catherine joined Dad on this tour, and were fortunate to experience the impact these young men made on world history. The French people were kind and grateful and treated the Veterans like heroes. It became clear why this time of his life was so meaningful.

After the war

When he returned from the war, Dick attended college at Loyola University in Los Angeles, where he studied business. For the rest of his life, Dick promoted Loyola’s charitable fundraising events.

In 1949, Dick went to a friend’s backyard party and met Patricia Becker. They married in 1952.  As newlyweds, they built their first house on Barlan Avenue in Lakewood and attended St. Cyprian's Church.  A few years later, children started to arrive. Dick started a new job with Mattel Toys in El Segundo. With a growing family, they moved to the new community of Redondo Beach.

They became founding members of St. Lawrence Martyr Church in Redondo Beach.  The church played a central role in their marriage and family.  They sent their eight children through St. Lawrence Martyr School and later Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance. They were active members of the St. Lawrence Guild, and had life-long friendships with many people in the church.

Dick struck out on his own as an Executive Recruiter in 1969, and for many years helped people polish their resumes and find new jobs. Dick had a real gift for matching people to just the right position. One of his most important clients was Intex, where he recruited high level executives for many years. However, he was happy to help anyone write their resumes and find a good job.

In 1994, Pat and Dick moved to a new community in Newport Coast, CA.  He continued to work at Intex.  He loved Mater Dei football games on Friday nights with Uncle Ed Keane.  He joined the Orange County Freedom Committee. He shared the stories of WWII with high school students at Orange Lutheran and Corona Del Mar High Schools. His popular presentations were illustrated with slides and, of course, Dick proudly wearing his WWII Army uniform.

His Last Chapter

Pat and Dick moved to Leisure World Seal Beach in 2012.  They were blessed with wonderful neighbors and friends who were so kind to them.  Dick enjoyed the Veterans Day celebrations and later the biweekly dances with the 40’s band The Velvetones.  He enjoyed excellent health until recently.  During his last days, Dick had loving family and caregivers who sat with him, sharing stories about his amazing life.

His children, Molly Phillips, Teri O’Brien, Catherine O’Brien, Julie O’Brien, Tom O’Brien, Mary Csere, Mike O’Brien, and Eileen Anderson, are grateful for the love and support Dick received at this time.  He will also be missed by his daughter-in-law Kim, and sons-in-law John Phillips, Csaba Csere, and Robert Anderson, as well as grandchildren Ian and Sean O’Brien, Shannon O’Brien Arnold, Madeline Csere, and Mimi Anderson.  He was also “Great Papa” to Quinn, Zoe, and Jack O’Brien.

In Memory

Many thanks to everyone who loved our Dad so much.  Family meant everything to him. Please share your stories and recollections with us.

Dad’s military service was one of the highlights of his life. He spent much of his time sharing his WWII experiences with others.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Fisher House at the Long Beach VA. Fisher House is a beautiful “home away from home” for the families of Veterans and military service members receiving care at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System.

A Celebration of Life Memorial for all family and friends will be held in a few months.

the Fisher House Southern California, Inc

P.O. Box 110 Long Beach, CA 90801, PH.(562)297-0990

https://fisherhousesocal.org/