YARMOUTH – Jack Edward O’Brien died on Dec. 4, 2020. Competitive to the end, he had just reached the impressive milestone of celebrating his 90th birthday.

He is survived by his wife, Carolee and their three children, Patti O’Brien and husband Ken Orner, Maureen O’Brien, Michael O’Brien and wife Marie, and three grandchildren, Madeline Panella, Max Panella, and Cooper O’Brien. He is also survived by his sisters, Patti O’Brien Donavan and Joan O’Brien, and was predeceased by his beloved mother, Mary Columbia and brothers, Raymond and Richard O’Brien.

Jack was born on Nov. 19, 1930 in Mount Kisco, N.Y. He thrived as both a scholar and an athlete, earning a B.S. in Education from the State University of New York at Cortland and an EMBA from Columbia University. His toughness and courage led him to joining the United States Marine Corp where he served in the Korean War. He earned a National Defense Medal, a Korean Service Medal, a United Nations Service Medal, and the Purple Heart Medal. When he returned from Korea, his life took his most significant pivot when he worked as a lifeguard and crossed paths with the beautiful Carolee Ward. They wed in 1956 and, together ever since, she gave him 64 years of her love, caring for him to the end.

Jack O’Brien’s professional accomplishments are substantial in his 32 years in the corporate world, and the world of coaching. In both arenas he was a man who valued leadership, tenacity, and grit. He joined McNeil in 1957 and progressed through a series of management assignments in sales, marketing, and operations. His career culminated in 1981 when he served as president and chief executive officer of McNeil Pharmaceutical until 1985, when he moved to vice president of corporate staff at Johnson and Johnson. One of his proudest achievements was working alongside First Lady Nancy Reagan with his Pharmacists Against Drug Abuse program. He received a Presidential Appointment to the International Narcotic Control Commission from President Ronald Reagan in 1986.

After his 1989 retirement he and his wife moved to Yarmouth where he pursued his great passion, coaching ice hockey. Over decades, he built an impressive network of connections, had successes on the ice and positively touched countless lives. His coaching style was demanding, repetitious, competitive, and he pushed players to their maximum. He had high expectations and to earn his respect it took commitment, and hard work; building on the philosophy of the Marine Corp, he was the classic break-them-down and build-them-back-up coach. That was his mastery, convincing his players that because they could survive his demands, they were just better, and tougher, than any opponent could ever be. It worked: his players bought in, and his teams won.

Earning Coach O’Brien’s respect was a badge of honor, and endearing relationships were formed. He loved his players and followed many of them through life. Over the years, as Jack aged, the stories of his teams never stopped and took on a folklore status. Tales of both the highlights and regrets of West Chester University, the Little Flyers, Yarmouth High School, Buffalo and Alaska could entertain him for hours. But what he was most proud of was the cast of characters on all those teams. It would be impossible to estimate his lifelong head coaching record, or how many young men played hockey for Jack. But one commonality they have is the lifelong philosophy he instilled in all of his teams, “We work, we win!”

Jack was also an avid golfer. He was a member of Norway Country Club for over 50 years, and played golf around the world. He was fortunate enough to play some of the most prestigious courses in the world, including Augusta National, Winged Foot, Pine Barrens, and Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill. A member of the Course Ranking Panel with Golf Digest, he was swinging clubs in his backyard and putting in his living room to the very end.

Additionally, throughout his life, Jack served on many boards. His greatest and most heartfelt efforts were put into serving the Travis Roy Foundation, aiding in researching spinal chord injuries.

With the tunes of his beloved Marines’ Hymn playing, a private service with just immediate family was held Saturday, Dec. 5.

Please visit http://www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to sign Jack’s online guestbook and to offer condolences.

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