John O'Brien

O'BRIEN
John J. O'Brien, 89, passed away March 28, 2009, in Nampa, Idaho. Mr. O'Brien was born January 24, 1920, in Trenton, New Jersey, and attended high school in Trenton and was active in student affairs. He was elected president of his junior class and then of his senior class. He was president of the Student Council, editor of the school newspaper, and editor-in-chief of the school year book. He attended Rider College in Trenton and George Washington University in Washington, DC. He was employed in the Civilian Personnel Division, Office of the Secretary of War, and later held similar personnel positions in the Office of the Chief of the Transportation Corps. He was the senior civilian executive in the Personnel Division at the San Francisco Port of Embarkation and in the Second Transportation Zone in New York City. Joining the Army Exchange Service (now the Army and Air Force Exchange Service [AAFES]), he held personnel positions in the New York, Dallas, and San Antonio regional offices. He was promoted to the position of Chief of Personnel in the Baltimore regional office. He was selected to serve as the Chief of Personnel in the European Exchange System, headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany. He was the European Exchange System representative on the Five-Power Commission for Labor Affairs, which included representatives from the United States, Great Britain, France, Belgium, and the Federal Republic of Germany. He received the Department of the Army Meritorious Civilian Award for his ingenuity and leadership in the negotiation and implementation of international labor agreements, the first European Exchange Service employee to be so honored. Returning to the United States, he became Chief, Personnel Central Service Center in San Antonio, and later served as Chief, Career Management Branch, AAFES Headquarters in New York City, where he played an important role in the development of the Executive Management Program, which administered the selection, assignment, promotion and career training opportunities of the AAFES executive work force worldwide. He left the personnel field to become Assistant Chief of Merchandise and Services, Central Service Center in San Antonio, and Deputy Chief, Carolina Area Support Center, Columbia, South Carolina. He returned to Europe as the civilian executive, Central Germany Area, and later executive, North Germany Region. He closed out 30 years of Exchange Service employment as Deputy Chief, Golden Gate Region in San Francisco, California. He retired to San Antonio in 1975, and has lived in Nampa, Idaho since 2003. Mr. O'Brien married Nina Mae Smith of San Antonio in March 1944 and they were married 58 years until her death in 2002. Mr. O'Brien is survived by two sons, Robert W. O'Brien and his wife Debbie of Strongsville, Ohio, and John J. O'Brien Jr. and his wife Bonnie of Nampa, Idaho; one daughter, Sharon K. Lowry of Denton, Texas; one sister, Jane K. Confoy of Wrightstown, New Jersey; six grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 7:00-9:00 p.m., Thursday, May 7, 2009, at Porter Loring Mortuary North.
SERVICES
FRIDAY
MAY 8, 2009
2:00 P.M.
PORTER LORING
NORTH CHAPEL
Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery.
You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com
Arrangements with: