Donald G. O’Brien Sr., 83, long time resident of South Plainfield, NJ, passed away peacefully at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick on Monday, March 19, 2018. He had been a resident of Cedar Brook Nursing Home in Plainfield, NJ since 2014, after having suffered a stroke.
Donald was born in Elizabeth, NJ in1934 and graduated from Johnathon Dayton Regional High School in Springfield, NJ in 1952. He furthered his education at Thomas Edison Vocational and Technical School from 1952 to 1956 and Newark College of Engineering from 1956 to 1958, learning the craft of tool and die making, while also studying plastic engineering. He rose to the position of Vice President of engineering at Design and Molding in Piscataway, NJ until retiring in 2011.
Donald is survived by his wife of 62 years, Virginia (nee Bataille), as well as his five children: Donald Jr. and Mary, of Palm Coast, FL; Michael, of North Plainfield, NJ; Cathy, of Greenbrook, NJ; Susan Mason and her husband Rob, of Odessa, FL; and Mark and his wife Joan, of South Plainfield, NJ. Donald was blessed to be survived by ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother George and wife Donna, of Morrisville, PA, and his sister Patricia Richmond and her husband Robert, of Marion, IA, and several nieces and nephews.
Donald was active in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in South Plainfield. He served as an usher, on the finance committee for the church’s annual Feast of St. Anthony, and was a former member and president of the Holy Name Society. He was also very interested in astronomy, especially with America’s space exploration program. He loved bowling and participated on many leagues throughout his lifetime. He was also interested in golf and liked to follow the big tournaments. Donald was a big fan of Rutgers football, which he followed enthusiastically each and every season.
Many people called Donald a friend. We will all miss him in the days and years to come. May God bless his soul and grant him eternal peace.
Visitation will be held in the McCriskin-Gustafson Home for Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ 07080 on Sunday, March 25, 2018 from 2-5pm.
Funeral services will be held in the funeral home on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 9:30 am, with additional visitation beginning 9:00 am.
A Mass of Christian burial will begin at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church Hamilton Blvd. in South Plainfield, NJ. Interment will immediately follow at St. Gertrude’s Cemetery in Colonia, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to: The Rutgers University Foundation - CINJ
120 Albany Street Tower One, Suite 305 New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 (Please make checks payable to: CINJ-RUF . Please indicate that your donation is in memory of Donald O’Brien)
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