Gerald John O'Brien

Gerald (Jerry) John O?Brien MD FACC, loving husband to the late Marlene O?Brien (nee Moore), passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at the age of 78. He was born January 21, 1938 in Hollister, California, son of the late Robert and Louise (nee Brancheau) O?Brien. Jerry grew up in Marin county, CA and White Plains, NY. He graduated from The University of San Francisco in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science and earned his Medical Doctorate at McGill University in 1963 where he met his beloved wife Marlene. As a cardiologist focused on cardiac critical care and non-invasive diagnostics, Jerry completed his medical and chief residency at the Royal Victoria Hospital (McGill) from 1963-1967. He served in the US Army as Chief of ICU-CCU and referral Cardiac Clinics for Europe, Middle East, and Africa from 1967-1970, based in Frankfurt, Germany, and was honorably discharged as Major, M.C. in 1970. He completed additional cardiology fellowship training at Hartford Hospital, CT from 1970-1971, was a member of AOA and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Jerry served as Chief of Medicine and Cardiology at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford CT 1971-1974 and served as Chief of Cardiology, Chief Medical Officer, and Director of Professional Services at Windham Community Memorial Hospital, CT from 1974-1990. Devoted to teaching and maintaining an academic environment in clinical practice, he was an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine from 1972-1990, fostering academic training programs in Cardiology and Internal Medicine at both Johnson Memorial and Windham Hospitals for UCONN and Yale University. Among many honors, he was awarded the Army Commendation medal in 1973 for outstanding service in Cardiology, was a recipient of one of six American Hospital Association national ?all-star awards? to outstanding hospital personnel in 1980, and was one of the first two inaugural recipients of the WCMH ?Doctor of the Year? award in 1995. Upon retiring after the death of his wife Marlene in 1990, Jerry took on the Medical Directorship of St. Joseph?s Living Center, Willimantic, and as a congregant of St Paul?s Episcopal Church, Willimantic, he established a medical clinic at the Covenant Soup Kitchen where he served members of the community for a number of years. Throughout his life, Jerry was an active amateur artist with drawings and paintings reflecting his whimsical sense of humor, his spirituality, and his love of Northeast Connecticut and Canada, lovingly displayed by friends and family and included in collections at Jillson House Museum, Willimantic CT, and Windham Free Library, Windham CT. He was a long time member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, spending many cold winter nights tracking stars. A resident of Eastern CT from 1970-2014, predominantly in Windham Center, Storrs, and Stonington CT, he was an avid UCONN women?s? and men?s? basketball fan, proudly wearing his Husky garb even after his move to Lafayette Hill, PA in 2014 where he was able to spend his final years near extended family. Jerry is survived by his daughter Karen, son Christopher and his wife Lisa, grandsons Robert and Jacob, as well as his brother and sisters, Michael O?Brien and his wife Jackie, Judy Grant and her husband Ellis, and Carol Horner. Jerry also leaves his extended family, mother-in-law Doris Schebel, and his wife?s siblings, Brenda and Daryl Hautz, Janice and Doug Baker, and Keith and Sherri Moore. Services will be held on Monday, November 28, 2016 at 10:00 a.m., St. Paul?s Episcopal Church, 220 Valley Street, Willimantic, CT with Interment to follow at Windham Center Cemetery, Rte. 203, Windham, CT. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Jerry?s memory to: The Covenant Soup Kitchen or St. Paul?s Episcopal Church. For more donation information and to sign the online memorial guest book, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.comCharitable donations may be made to:Covenant Soup Kitchen220 Valley Street, Willimantic CT 06226Tel: 1-860-423-1643Email: kclark@covenantsoupkitchen.orgWeb : http://www.covenantsoupkitchen.org/donate.htmSt . Paul's Episcopal ChurchPO Box 63, Willimantic CT 06226Web: http://www.stpaulswillimantic.org