Passed away quietly in his sleep on March 6, 2013. Funeral services were held March 12 at Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral home. Fr. Paul Sretenovic celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial. He was laid to rest at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.
Dr. O’Brien was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 29, 1926. He graduated from Detroit Central Catholic High School in 1944 and received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology from Loyola University, Los Angeles in 1950. During the Korean War, he served in the US Army as a basic science researcher at Fort Detrick, Maryland.
In 1958 he earned a Medical Doctor’s degree from Georgetown University. He completed an internship at Los Angeles General Hospital followed by a two year family medicine residency at Santa Barbara General Hospital. He practiced family medicine for 41 years, retiring in 2002. He served on the medical staffs of St Francis, Cottage and Goleta Valley hospitals. He helped establish the Santa Barbara Hospice and served over 20 years on the Cottage Hospital Institutional Review Board. In 1998, he was named the St. Francis Medical Center Physician of the Year. He enjoyed spending time at home with family and tinkering in the garage. Dr. O’Brien was married to C. Patricia (Hall) O’Brien at St. John’s Catholic Church on May 21, 1960, in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. They were married for 52 years. Dr. O’Brien’s kind heart and gentle humor will be greatly missed.
Robert O’Brien is survived by his wife, Patricia; their two children, David M. O’Brien and his wife Lisa, and Maureen A. O’Brien and her husband Douglas Gervasi; two grandchildren Megan E. O’Brien and Matthew J. O’Brien; brother Bill (Helen) O’Brien; sisters Kathleen Sims, Dolores Ericson, Jo Ann Perry and Judy (Joe) Gerhard; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Robert O’Brien is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Michael and Elsa Marie (Hagenjos) O’Brien; sister, Barbara O’Brien and brother, Jack O’Brien.
Memorial donations may be given to Santa Barbara Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Foundation or St. Francis Foundation.
