Obituary
Kevin Sheridan O’Brien died on June 25, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

Kevin was born in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1932 to John Walter and Eleanor Colwell O’Brien. He was raised there and in Massachusetts, principally in the town of Cambridge. In Cambridge he attended The Peabody School, followed by Cambridge Academy and then Harvard College. In college he met the love of his life, Barbara Williams, who was a student at Radcliffe. Kevin was a Naval ROTC scholarship student, and immediately upon graduation served in the Navy for three years until he was honorably discharged in 1957. It was during his service that he and Barbara were married in Naples, Italy in 1954.

Upon leaving active service, Kevin joined Rayonier, Inc., a manufacturing firm, and then also earned an MBA at New York University, a degree that he pursued at night while also working at Rayonier. His early years at Rayonier were in international sales. During his tenure there he also held a variety of senior positions in finance, sales, marketing, mergers & acquisition and strategic planning, and after his retirement in 1996, he also continued consulting for the company for several years. Kevin’s early work at Rayonier included five years during which he, Barbara, and their first child Deirdre lived in Paris, France, and they developed a deep affection for that country that lasted the rest of their lives.

Upon returning from France, he and Barbara settled in Ridgewood, New Jersey, where they raised their children and lived for 52 years. The family’s years in Ridgewood were filled with love and happiness, all made possible by Kevin and Barbara’s truly loving partnership and by Kevin’s devotion, hard work, seriousness and generous spirit. He was a man with the highest standards, was kind and decent to everyone he ever met, and had a great wit and sense of humor. He and Barbara enjoyed great friendships, lively family gatherings, travel and wine. They both loved learning and deeply valued education.

Kevin was also an active member of all of the communities in which he lived. He was elected to the Ridgewood Village Council and chaired its Economic Advisory Committee. He was a longtime trustee with the Ridgewood Senior Citizens Housing Corporation (which operated an affordable senior housing development called Ridgecrest), and he served as its President for a number of years. Kevin, Barbara, their family and friends also spent many happy hours and years playing tennis at the Upper Ridgewood Tennis Club, where Kevin also served as Treasurer and President. He also stayed active in fundraising for his alma mater, and was even involved in the landscape committee of Spring Meadow where they lived for 4 years in Wyckoff, NJ. The last five years of his life were spent at HarborChase, a wonderful senior living community in Orlando, Florida. There, too, his guidance, knowledge and respect for all made him an especially cherished member of that community. Kevin’s faith was important to him. He and Barbara were members of the Catholic parishes of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Ridgewood, NJ, St. Elizabeth’s in Wyckoff, NJ and Holy Family in Orlando, FL.

More generally, Kevin’s advice was sought out throughout his life by family, colleagues, neighbors and friends. It was always provided with thoughtfulness and serious consideration.

Yet family was always first in Kevin’s life. Because of his special marriage, his loving relationships with his children, and deep bonds of friendship, he would declare to anyone who would listen that he was the luckiest man in the world.

Kevin is survived by two of his siblings, Brendan J. O’Brien (Constance) of Venice, FL and Deirdre Williams of New York, New York, all of his children and their spouses, Deirdre Phelan, Michael O’Brien (Roxanne), Clare O’Brien (Nancy Walsh), Katherine Caravello (Robert) and Sean O’Brien (Rebecca Stead). He is also survived by his nine grandsons: Kevin Phelan, Brendan O’Brien, Aidan O’Brien, Conor O’Brien, Michael Caravello, Christopher Caravello, Brian Caravello, Jack Stead O’Brien and Eli Stead O’Brien, and many cherished nieces and nephews. Kevin was predeceased by his parents and his siblings John R. O’Brien, Anne O’Brien Desrosier and MaryPat O’Brien Mulcare.

Visiting Hours for immediate family will be held in the George L. Doherty Funeral Home, 855 Broadway (Powder House Sq.) Somerville on Monday, July 8th from 9:00AM to 10:00AM followed by a Prayer Service at 10:00AM. All family and friends of the family are invited to a burial at 11:00am, which will be followed by a Memorial Service and Reception at Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Bigelow Chapel, Cambridge, MA