Robert D. O'Brien

Robert D. (Obie) OBrien, 84, proud father, grandfather and amateur ukulele player, passed away Friday, March 13, 2015 at Ledgewood Bay in Milford, NH. Obie was born in Northampton, MA to the late George F. and Kathleen (Brick) OBrien. After graduating from Northampton High School and American International College, he served in the U.S. Army in the Counter Intelligence Corps and was stationed for a time in West Berlin and was honorably discharged in 1954. After a long career in sales at NCR, Obie fulfilled his dream of running his own business when he bought Amherst Taylor Rental in 1984. Raising his family in Wilbraham, MA, Obie was legendary for his southern fried chicken, his backyard skating rink and his years as a football coach. He learned to snow ski in his 40s, so he could take his kids to the mountains on the weekends. He created a sanctuary on Lake Spofford, where family and friends gathered on the patio to watch the sun set and sing Irish songs (and the occasional inappropriate fraternity ditty). Obie loved nothing more than to break out "the uke" and harmonize with his partner in song and life, Clare. Obie was predeceased by his wife Clare, his son Michael, and his siblings George and Dorothy. The family would like to thank the staff of Ledgewood Bay for their kindness and care. He is survived by his brother Edward OBrien of Massachusetts; five children, Kathy Landry of Milford, NH, Timothy OBrien of Ludlow, MA, Thomas OBrien and his wife Stacy of Northfield, VT, Maureen OBrien of South Portland, ME, and Terence OBrien and his wife Janet of Goffstown, NH, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Calling hours are on Monday, March 16th from 5:00-8:00 pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10:00 am in St. John Neumann Church, 708 Milford Road, Merrimack, NH. Burial with military honors will be in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, Boscawen, NH. In lieu of flowers, family asks that donations be sent to Alzheimers Association, One Bedford Farms Drive, Suite 105, Bedford, NH 03110.