Kerry Campbell O'Brien

1942 - 2024

Kerry Campbell O'Brien
02/18/1942 - 11/10/2024
Captain Kerry Campbell O'Brien, United States Merchant Marine, passed away on November 10, 2024. He is survived by his beloved wife, Aniana O'Brien, and his children, Daniel, Kathleen, Conor, and Sean.
Born in Chehalis, Washington, on February 18, 1942, and a proud alumnus of Polytechnic High School, Class of 1959, Captain O'Brien dedicated his life to service at sea and to his fellow veterans. A retired member of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, he served aboard a wide range of vessels and rose to the rank of Master in the Merchant Marine, holding a rare U.S. Coast Guard license as Master of Sailing Vessels upon Oceans. In the Navy, he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer in 2002.
Onshore, Captain O'Brien was a skilled craftsman, following in his father's footsteps as a carpenter, sail maker, and rigger. He taught in the Carpenter Apprentice Program and retired from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners in 1998.
A lifelong Freemason, Captain O'Brien was a tireless advocate for veterans, volunteering at the California Veterans' Home and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. He was recognized as a "Home Front Hero" in Sacramento and visited wounded servicemembers at Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed.
Captain O'Brien was a respected leader in several organizations, founding the Pacific Coast Merchant Marine Council of the Navy League and serving as its charter president. A man of deep faith, he lived by the principles of James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
A visitation will be held Monday, November 25, 2024 from 4-8pm, at Duggan's Serra Mortuary, Daly City, with a Masonic Service at 6:30pm. He will be laid to rest with full military honors at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, CA on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 10:30am.