Father Thomas Edward O'Brien Retired

1946 - 2022

O'Brien (Retired), Father Thomas Edward, 75, of Lewis Center, Ohio passed away on Monday, January 17, 2022, in his home. He was born in Wilmington, Ohio on October 29, 1946, the son of Thomas F. and Virginia (Johnson) O'Brien.

He was a 1964 graduate of Upper Arlington High School, Columbus and from Purdue University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1968 and an M.S. in Mathematics in 1977. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Order of the Holy Cross in 1974. He taught high school and junior college in Indiana, Minnesota and Michigan for 22 years. He served as the Order's Provincial Treasurer for seven years, and served as the Order's General Treasurer in Rome, Italy for six years. In 2007 he retired from the Order and public ministry. After retirement, he taught mathematics part-time at Columbus State Community College for several years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, John Koch and grandparents, Thomas and Mame (Hodge) O'Brien and Edward and Creola (Haines) Johnson. Survivors include stepbrothers William Koch and Roger Koch and their spouses, step-nieces Elizabeth (Koch) Frech and Barbara Koch and their spouses and children.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in St. Mary Catholic Church, Delaware. Visitation will be held one hour prior in the church. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Springfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.