Joseph Patrick O’Brien (1930 – 2024)
Joseph P. O’Brien age 94 of Independence, faculty member at Independence High School, passed away September 15, 2024.
Joe was passionate about many things in his life: his faith, his family, his friends, his students, his jokes, this town, his country, his politics…and his Honey Hut ice cream! He may have been your Dad, your Opa, your sweetheart, your Uncle, your neighbor, your Coach, your guidance counselor, your CCD teacher, fellow Knight of Columbus, your Senior lunch buddy, your parishioner or your friend. You may have had loving and fabulous conversations with him or you may have had spirited and heated arguments with him (you know who you are!). Whatever the situation, Joe exhibited his true and passionate nature in all he did.
Joseph Patrick O’Brien was born in Alliance, Ohio on July 1, 1930 to George and Freda O’Brien. He was the fifth of their six children and it was this large family, with loving parents at the helm, that shaped the man young Joe became. (One should mention the loving parents also had a paddle that would influence Joe in his coaching and fatherly duties!) Joe’s parents believed in the power of a Catholic education as he attended Catholic schools wherever he lived, as his family moved from Alliance to Columbus before settling in Canton, Ohio. He graduated from Canton Central Catholic High School and attended THE University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!). It was during this time he attended a dance and was swept off his feet by the beautiful Hedy Morath. They married and danced together for 48 years! They had 4 undeniably fabulous children who are grateful every day that they called Joe and Hedy “Mom and Dad”.
After serving his time in the Army after college graduation, Joe, Hedy and their toddler son, John, attended THE Ohio State University where his takeaways upon graduation were a Master of Arts in Education, a friendship with the incomparable Woody Hayes, a handball history with All-American football player Gene Fekete and a memorable meeting with his hero and OSU’s 1st African All-American football player, Bill Willis.
Joe’s first teaching job was in Cleveland at John Adams High School. He served as an assistant football coach and head wrestling coach. His experience at John Adams reinforced his love for teaching and coaching; many of the people he met here remained lifelong friends. In fact, the guys from Adams (and their lovely wives) were with him just a month before his passing. They are the definition of cherished life-long friends. (And some of them make great wine!) When he seized the opportunity to teach at Independence High School in 1962, he found a school and a community that he would embrace for the rest of his life. As a Phys. Ed. teacher, he prepared his students to go to war in Viet Nam. As a coach, he stressed the lessons you learn in victory and defeat. As a guidance counselor, he helped steer careers to wavering high school students and was the emergency contact for parents when their kids made questionable decisions. He continued his education at THE University of Akron, getting another degree to become a certified school psychologist. (His children weren’t sure if Dad wanted to further his education or needed more psychological warfare in dealing with them…)
Retiring from a school system did nothing to stop Joe from his penchant for teaching and learning. He decided he wanted to attend the Cuyahoga Vocational School to study horticulture which he did for two years. That was the year the garden got an upgrade with an installed water feature, surrounded by beautiful plants! Later he was hired by the City of Independence to work in the Civic Center weight training area. It was here that he continued his love of teaching, showing residents how to strengthen or rehabilitate their bodies. It was in the confines of the Civic Center that Joe honed his joke-telling skills. Feeling relatively successful at the Civic Center, he broadened his horizons and began telling jokes after church, during Senior lunches, at K of C meetings and basically to anyone, anywhere who would listen. Joe became a collector of jokes and loved hearing them as well as telling them. It was another exercise that he felt kept his mind sharp. After retiring from the Civic Center, Joe enrolled in another educational program to become a licensed massage therapist at the age of 74. He never intended to profit from his new career but had the desire to assist people in just feeling better. Most recently, Joe pursued his passion for learning with online typing classes and Spanish lessons.
Joe spent his life being an avid reader. As a philosophy major at ND, he continued to study the works of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, Socrates, Plato. He also was a fervent reader of Scripture and more importantly than quoting it, he lived it and applied it. He taught his children, grandchildren and interested students on why the Bible should be the cornerstone to living their lives. His dedication to his faith included a special relationship with the Virgin Mary, who he felt watched over him. It was to her that he prayed at the Notre Dame Grotto before he asked his wife to marry him. It was to her he returned to the Grotto to give thanks for 48 years of marriage to his beloved wife after she passed. Joe attended Mass every day that he could, serving as an alter server until his knees prevented him from kneeling. After that, he sat in the same pew for every Mass. He faithfully prayed the rosary every day with his sweetheart companion, as the two of them modeled what devotion to our Lord, His Blessed Mother and each other is all about.
Joe was a good and faithful servant to the end. We shall miss his presence, but we take comfort in knowing who he’s with and the legacy of love and lessons with which he has left us.
Te quiero, Papa!
