Alfred Corey O'Brien

Corey O’Brien was born at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, MD to Terrill Hooper O’Brien and Alfred “Hap” O’Brien on July 11, 1969. He was named Alfred, but no one has ever called him that. He was eagerly awaited by his sister Sherrill. He was a very happy good-natured baby, a sign of things to come.

Once Corey learned to talk, he never stopped. He asked a lot of questions and never met a stranger. He had limitless energy and would run and climb and play. Already a collector, he accumulated many treasured items, including many Matchbox cars and Microman action figures.

As a military family, the O’Briens travelled the world. Corey attended schools at military bases into middle school including at Colorado Springs, CO, Ft. Huachuca, AZ, and Yokota Air Base in Japan. He learned to speak Japanese and had a lifelong love of Japanese culture.

The family returned to the U.S., moving to Huntington Beach, CA, where he finished middle school. He had already begun his life as a writer and was working on an epic science fiction novel. He had also begun his life as a computer scientist. Corey and his father built their first computer, a Commodore 64, in the garage.

The family moved to Annandale, VA, where Corey attended W. T. Woodson High School. He started working in the computer industry well before high school graduation. His writing continued, and he attended a formative summer writing workshop where he was encouraged to apply to the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

Corey majored in Computer Science at William and Mary, and again was working in the industry before graduation. In college he met his future wife Jennifer Zinn, and they were married on May 21st, 1994. They shared many interests both ordinary and strange, and had many wonderful adventures together large and small.

They moved to North Carolina and soon settled in Durham, NC. Corey worked in many jobs in the tech industry in the Research Triangle and eventually took a job at SAS where he was very happy.

He had a passion for pool and played many years on a team called Brown’s Bombers. (He was mostly known as Sean in his pool community). He was a lifelong musician, playing many instruments including guitar and piano. Among his many other interests were woodworking and classic cars.

Corey was a shining soul known for his kindness and good humor. He always strove to see the good in every person and truly treasured every person as a child of God. He was a devoted and beloved father of four: Maggie, Iain, Valia (aka Jamie, aka Joseph), and Jacob. He deeply valued his Mohawk heritage, his Catholic faith, and his many and varied friends and family.

In September of 2021 Corey was diagnosed with colon cancer and he passed away from this illness on June 28, 2025. He was preceded in death by his daughter Maggie, his mother Terrill, and his brother-in-law Jesse Zinn. He is survived by so many whose lives will never be the same without him.

For those who feel moved to make a donation, gifts to organizations supporting immigrants would honor a cause close to Corey’s heart.

A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 1:00 pm at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham, NC.