TimesLeader.com

June 26
Joseph J. O’Brien

May 29, 2008

Joseph J. O’Brien , Jr., a Scranton attorney, died Thursday, May 29, at the Mercy Hospital Hospice after a courageous battle with cancer. His wife is the former Judith Beverly Weyant. They celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary on March 25.

Born August 13, 1946, in Scranton, son of the late Dr. Joseph J. and Mary O’Connor O’Brien, O’Brien received his A.B. from Wheeling Jesuit College in 1968, studying for a year at Loyola University in Rome, Italy. After graduating, O’Brien enlisted in the U.S. Army and served from 1968 to 1971, earning the U.S. Commendation Medal in 1971, in Munich, Germany where he met his wife, Judy. Following his military service, he earned his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1974 and was admitted to the Pennsylvania State Bar that year. O’Brien returned to Scranton in 1974 to join the law firm of Casey, Haggerty and McDonnell, now Haggerty, McDonnell, O’Brien and Hinton, where he practiced real estate, commercial, and public finance law for over 30 years. He was a member of the Lackawanna County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, served on the boards of St. Michael’s School from 1999-2005 and The Specialty Group from 1986-2000, and was a trustee of the Scranton State General Hospital. He was also a volunteer on the Montage Mountain Ski Patrol for 14 years.

A dedicated and beloved husband and father, he was happiest when surrounded by his wife, Judy, their four children, daughter- and sons-in-law, and grandchildren sharing dinner on the back porch, on a family vacation in South Carolina or golfing with his family and friends.

Surviving are his son, Joseph J. O’Brien, III, and wife Mary Virginia, Clarks Summit; three daughters, Jocelyn O’Brien Hawkins and husband, Harold Hawkins, West Hartford, CT; Erin O’Brien Semmens and husband, Dan Semmens, Missoula, MT; and Susannah O’Brien Najdek and husband, Vlatko Najdek, Broomall; three grandchildren, Mary, Kate and Sadie O’Brien; many nieces and nephews, and numerous cousins. Also surviving are two brothers, Daniel O’Brien, Scranton; Timothy O’Brien, Waverly; and sister, Mary McDonnell, Dunmore.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Erin Graham.

The funeral was to be Saturday from the Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home, 418 South State Street, Clarks Summit with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in Our Lady of the Snows Church, 301 South State Street, Clarks Summit. Interment, private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Scranton Preparatory School, the University of Scranton or to the Mercy Hospital Hospice Unit. For directions or to sign the online guest book, visit www.lawrenceeyoungfuneralhome.com