Served on USS Midway during Korean conflict
NORTH READING — Robert F. O’Brien Sr., 91, of North Reading, died Thursday evening, January 27, 2022 at the Blair House in Tewksbury. He was the loving husband of the late Marilyn H. (Magliozzi) O’Brien.
Born in Brighton on July 14, 1930 to the late John C. and Mary Theresa (Lucey) O’Brien, he was a graduate of Roslindale High School and attended Northeastern University and State University of New York at Buffalo.
A U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean conflict, Bob served from 1950 to 1954 on the USS Midway.
He was employed as a retail milkman for White Brothers in Quincy from 1955 to 1960, Lux Transportation as a Sales Manager for five years, Ormes Transportation as Vice President for 10 years, and Greyhound Van Lines as a District Manager for 10 years.
He was the former president of South Shore Toastmasters and President and founding member of the Professional Moving Consultants of Massachusetts.
Bob was a resident of North Reading for over 40 years and an active member of St. Theresa’s Church, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister and an Altar Server. He was also a volunteer at the Merrimack Valley Hospice in Lawrence.
His loving children include Kathleen M. Petronzio and her husband Nick, Patricia A. Silverman and her husband Stuart, Theresa J. O’Brien, Donna L. Panopoulos and her husband Ted; Robert F. O’Brien, Jr. and his wife Debby, and Christopher D. O’Brien and his wife Catherine. He was the beloved grandfather of Adam, Daniel and Jake Petronzio, Michael Coffill, Nicholas and Jeremy Montecalvo, Kayleigh Dunn, Jessica Greenfield and Conor O’Brien, Samantha Meaney and Madelyn and Riley O’Brien; and great-grandfather of Sadie and Charlie Dunn and Noah and Sheamus Montecalvo. He was the brother of the late John O’Brien.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street (Rte. 62), North Reading on Saturday, February 5 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading, prior to the funeral Mass from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery in North Reading.
Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. To leave an online message of condolence please visit: www.croswellfuneralhome.com. 