Charles A. O'Brien

Charles A. O'Brien Former California chief deputy attorney general, born in 1925 in Lawrence, MA, died in his sleep at his Danville home September 3, 2008. He enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 17 to fight in World War II, where earned a Purple Heart, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate Nazi concentration camps. When he left the Army he pursued his education at Harvard, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1950. He then took his law degree at Harvard in 1953, before moving to California and beginning the practice of law in 1954. He headed the San Francisco Foreign Policy Association and served as executive secretary to Governor Pat Brown from 1960 to 1961. He then returned to the California Attorney General's office, serving as chief deputy attorney general from 1962 to 1971, before going into private practice. In 1954 Charles married fellow Lawrence, MA, expatriate Marie Therese Fox, herself a magna cum laude graduate of Radcliff. Charles and Marie were, even up to Charles' last days, avid travelers, visiting at least 100 countries. Professionally, in the '70s Charles was a founder of the Doctors Company, now the nation's largest physician owned medical malpractice insurer. A man with a strong passion for life, Charles was an avid collector of wine, military prints and books, and bred award winning Arabian horses. Charles retired from the practice of law in 2004. He and Marie celebrated their 50th anniversary the same year. They continued to travel and enjoy the company of family and friends. Charles was preceded in death by his brother Joe O'Brien of San Francisco; and sister Mary O'Brien Aton of Louisville, KY. In addition to Marie, Charles is survived by children Devin, Brennan and Erin O'Brien, their spouses Linda, Karla Leibowitz and Kevin McKenzie; and grandchildren Sean, Caitlin and Miara McKenzie, Fianna O'Brien and Colleen, Kiera, Genevieve, Ashleen and Conor O'Brien. Charles had an uncommon knack for making every person he dealt with feel special and valued whether that person was simply parking his car or a top elected official. He will be missed and loved. A viewing and welcoming will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 8, 2008, at the Fireside Room at Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church, 10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga, CA 94556, followed by a Celebration of Charles' Life in the Sanctuary from 11:00 to noon. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, those who cared for Charles consider making a donation to Community Solutions, a human services, non-profit organization headed by Charles' daughter Erin. Donations can be sent to Community Solutions, Post Office Box 546, Morgan Hill, California 95038.