Michael O'Brien

Michael Andrew O'Brien, a uniquely dedicated and humorously idiosyncratic husband, father, and educator passed away on June 4, 2023 at the age of 74.Born in Warren, Ohio, Mike grew up with friends from a variety of circles. An energetic kid, he played football, baseball, and basketball through middle and high school, worked as a lifeguard, and graduated from John F. Kennedy Catholic School in 1966 to attend Kent State University. While there, he was a member of Students for a Democratic Society and was on campus during the 1970 Kent State shootings.As an addendum to his Geography degree, Mike became credentialed as a special education teacher. For the next 35 years, in Ohio and California, he engaged students with creative exercises, games, and projects of his own invention that left no doubt that he loved to teach. He earned his Masters Degree in Special Education from California State University Long Beach.In the early 80s, Mike practiced Taekwondo and, in one class, met Sandra Koeth. They married in June of 1984. After surviving an F4 tornado that obliterated their home, with them in it, they chose to extend their scheduled vacation to California indefinitely. In Los Alamitos, California, they raised two sons. With his kids he collaborated on school speeches, studied vocabulary for the SATs, threw football passes, and flagged soccer games.After 21 years of bike rides to the beach, camping trips, CD deck playlists ranging from Bob Dylan to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and Robert Frost poems read, Mike was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. After another 13 years, during which his wife and sons cared for him in a testament to his qualities, he passed.Mike is survived by his wife, Sandra O'Brien, his sons, Kevin O'Brien of Glendale, CA, and Connor (Molly) O'Brien of Long Beach, CA, his sister Kathy Sulack of Sunnyvale, CA, his brother Andrew O'Brien of Ocean Springs, MS, Elaine O'Brien of Ocean Springs, MS, a number of cousins, nieces, nephews, and many friends who miss his diligence and sensitivity.We are remembering Mike with contributions to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration and Habitat for Humanity.