Walpole, MA- Frank J. O’Brien, 87, died Friday February 26th at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, surrounded by his beloved family.
Born in Brookline, MA on September 17th 1922, Frank was the son of John “Scotty” and Bridget (O’Toole) O’Brien, both of County Armagh Ireland.
Frank was a graduate of Roxbury High School and then Northeastern University. During World War II, he served his country as a Seabee in the US Navy until being honorably discharged at war’s end.
For 43 years, Frank was a dedicated and gifted electrical and mechanical engineer at MIT where he worked in the Molecular Beems, R.L.E, and energy labs.
He was a founding member of the Early Ford V8 Club and was very proud of his 1936 Ford Phaeton that he restored. He was a member of the Conway lake Conservation Association in Conway, NH. He was an active outdoorsman and enjoyed boating, fishing, and sailing.
The widower of the late Neva (Soper) O’Brien, Frank is survived by his wife Rochetta (Straquelursi) Tobin- O’Brien, daughter Rita M. O’Brien of Rexford MT, son Frank B. O’Brien and his wife Kathleen of Haverhill MA, 3 grandchildren, Frank, Shaun and Kelly O’Brien, and his half sister Pat O’Brien Connell of Needham. He is also survived by his 5 stepchildren, Sheila Hartman and her husband Chuck of Little Compton RI, Tim Tobin and his wife Lisa of Middletown RI, Edward and his wife Nancy of Norfolk MA, Jane Silletti and her husband Michael of Norton MA, Paula Scordino and her husband Rich of Stoughton MA, as well as step-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Keith Hartman, Arielle, Michael and Gregory Tobin, and Rochelle Scordino as well as several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, John “Ted” Thomas and Lawrence O’Brien.
ARRANGEMENTS: Family and friends may pay their respects on Monday, March 1st from 4-8PM at the Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home 233 Lawrence St., in Methuen. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Tuesday March 2nd at St. Francis Church 115 Wheeler Rd in Dracut at 9AM with burial to follow at New Calvary Cemetery in Mattapan. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Frank’s name to MIT Building 14S-30877 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139-4307