John J. O'Brien, Sr. 90, of Mt. Bethel, PA, passed away on Tuesday, June 29th, at his residence.
John was born in Staten Island, NY on August 24, 1930, a son of the late John F. and Beatrice (Cassidy) O'Brien.
He was the husband of the late Blanche (Zenga) O'Brien, who passed away in 2019.
John was a District Salesman for AGWAY Buildings until retiring. He was a graduate of Jamesburg High School in Jamesburg, NJ.
He was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Bangor, PA, where he served as an usher for many years and was a member of the Holy Name Society. John was a member of the Northampton County Republican Club and the PA State County Extension Service and was a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award from the Richmond Lions Club. He had dedicated well over fifty years of service assisting our youth in both team baseball and good sportsmanship. He was active and successful in the Slate Belt Little League and also the central hub of managing the Babe Ruth League and the Richmond Lions Baseball Team. He was a staple of leadership when it came to talking about sports in our area. From his days of coaching alongside Bob Stansbury of the Portland Little League in which they set many area records for success, to his long association with the Babe Ruth League, in which his participation was legendary. It is safe to say that no man has come close to putting in near the time and sacrifice that this man has, and was simply known by many in the Slate Belts as Coach OB.
John is survived by four daughters, Kathleen O'Brien, Patricia Korkos, wife of Greg, Dorothy Rodrigues, wife of Manuel, and Rose Thompson, a son, John O'Brien, Jr, a sister, Mae Callaghan, three brothers, James, Edward, and Michael O'Brien, 9 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter Mary O'Brien, a sister Eileen Drummond and 2 Brothers; Thomas and William O'Brien, and a son-in-law Brian Thompson.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, July 7th at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 436 S. 2nd St, Bangor, PA. Family & friends are invited to call 6 to 8 PM on Tuesday, July 6th, and on Wednesday, July 7th from 9 to 10 AM at the James B. Gaffney Funeral Home 314 S. First Street, Bangor, PA. Burial will be held at the St. James Cemetery, Jamesburg, NJ. Online condolences may be offered at gaffneyparsons.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church 436 S. Second Street Bangor, PA 18013.
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