John Daniel O'Brien
Dec. 31, 1918-March 2, 2013
Sebastopol, California

He was called Dan, J.D., Uncle Dan, Grampa, Great Grampa and always Dear Old Dad (he signed all birthday cards D.O.D.) Dan was a fourth generation Californian, born in San Francisco on December 31, 1918. His parents were Jack O'Brien and Nadine Eslick O'Brien (later of Burlingame). He grew up in Daly City and Burlingame. After graduating early from high school, he was thought to be too young for college, so he joined the Army Transport Service as an engine oiler. He spent a year traveling down the coast of California and Mexico, through the Panama Canal and up to New York..the first of many adventures. Then he attended San Mateo Junior College until Stanford finally admitted him. He graduated with an Engineering Degree in 1941. He also became a loyal Stanford football fan. He was employed by Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica as a Design Engineer. He married Lois Jean Walker (another Stanford graduate) in 1942 and started a family. Dan joined the Navy in 1944 as a ship's officer aboard the AGC-10 Auburn, a floating Command Center for Amphibious Landings on Okinawa. He later made an on site inspection of the atomic bomb damage at Nagasaki, Japan. After the war he worked for FMC in San Jose and "retired" at 34. But he was far too energetic for this early retirement to last....so he joined forces with his father in 1953 in the heating and air conditioning contracting business. They expanded the Atlas Furnace Company and were active in the Santa Clara Valley for 35 years. During that time he also developed several real estate projects, including two industrial buildings, six shopping centers and six stand alone restaurants. He was always interested in new business ventures. He loved to travel with Lois...and while she painted in watercolors, he would take photographs. He tried watercolors and became hooked. He later became a member of the International Society of Marine Painters and had several shows. He and Lois traveled and painted all over the world. After 50 years on the Peninsula they moved to Sonoma County to start the O'Brien Iris Garden. They enjoyed being members of the Sonoma Farm Trails organization. Well into their eighties, they finally retired in 2004. Lois passed away in 2006. He is survived by their three children, Dana James of Los Altos, David Michael O'Brien and his wife Marsha of Gulfport, Florida, and P.J. O'Brien of Sebastopol; his three grandsons Thomas James of Mtn. View, Michael James and his wife, Juliet and their daughters Lois and Lucia of Petaluma, and Matthew O'Brien of Gulfport, Florida; his brother and sister in law, John and Joanne Walker of Pompano Beach, Florida; his nephew John M. Walker of Gulfport, Florida, niece Elizabeth Compton of Bath, Mane and niece Regina Nelson of Sacramento; his grand niece Sarah Compton and her two sons, Charlie and Oliver of Portland, Maine. He was imaginative, adventurous, very witty, a lover of life and his family and friends....he made a difference in peoples' lives. Knowing him was a pleasure. He was a real gentleman. He always encouraged his family to expand their horizons through education and travel. Life will be a bit dull with Dear Old Dad around. Dan gently passed away on March 2nd with family members at his side. The family wishes to thank his caregiver of seven years, Peggy Ferrara of Sebastopol.

Tags: veteran, business