The following obituary was posted by Jerry’s family and published in the Providence Journal on June 30, 2024.
Jerry O’Brien, a cherished husband, father, brother and friend, passed away peacefully on June 12, 2024, in his Kingston home surrounded by his loving family. Born on September 9, 1951 in Providence, Rhode Island, Jerry lived a life filled with creativity, love, and adventure. He was 72 years old.
Jerry is survived by his devoted wife, Nonnie O’Brien; his beloved children, Elizabeth Dibble (Justin Dibble) and Nicholas O’Brien (Brianna O’Brien); his siblings, Carole Cook, Rick O’Brien, and Kathye Anstis (John Anstis); and his step-siblings, Barbara Benson, Martha Murray (John Gambell), Luke Murray (Cyndi Murray), and Jane Murray (Doug Brill). He was predeceased by his mother, Blanche Murray, his stepfather, Dan Murray, and his father, Jerry O’Brien.
Jerry’s lifelong intellectual curiosity found a strong foundation at the University of Rhode Island where he earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in English literature. His love for the written word defined his career as a writer; Jerry’s versatility was evident in his diverse roles. He was a publications manager for Trinity Repertory Company. He was a reporter for the Providence Journal, winning the newspaper’s top award for reporting, while managing the Newport news bureau. He published in academic journals, and wrote marketing copy for travel agencies. He taught English, and Journalism at URI and CCRI respectively.
His hobbies were as varied as his professional endeavors. Jerry loved all genres of literature and music he could get his eyes and ears on — his beloved librarians called him a renaissance man. He enjoyed developing creative solutions to home improvement projects, such as wiring the air conditioner, or hanging lights in the garage for his wife’s pottery wheel. Jerry’s contributions to the community included volunteering his language expertise with local literacy programs and being a Divertimento DJ at WRIU in Kingston, where he delighted in sharing his fascination with contemporary classical music. Not to be forgotten is Jerry’s endless curiosity and respect of the world of classic cocktails; the craft and art and the enjoyment of a mean barrel aged Negroni or in this case, perhaps one beautifully shaken Last Word.
One of the joys of Jerry’s life was traveling. His travels with friends and family included Belgium, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, and Saint Martin. One of Jerry’s happiest trips followed his losing a job the same week Nonnie lost hers – within days, their ten-year old camry was packed with potatoes, apples, peanut butter for an open ended first time ever camping adventure, cross-country, that yielded spiritual epiphanies, tarantulas in pillowcases, and explosive hilarity.
Later in life as a lover of film and theater, Jerry pursued his own interest in the performing arts through being a “background artist” (he laughingly preferred the British term) in television and motion pictures. You can see him at his most serious portraying a court clerk in Steven Speilberg’s Amistad, his trademark loving smile in The Purge: Election Year, and some of the best soup eating on TV in HBO’s The Gilded Age.
While Jerry’s diagnosis with Acute Myeloid Leukemia was unexpected, he carried himself through his AML journey with steadfast love, curiosity, composure, and joy. Ever the advocate for the power of family love and celebration, in his final days Jerry was able to gift his wife a bottle of Bollinger champagne for her June 6th birthday which was the day he arrived home from the hospital. They toasted the birthday, and the remaining days they would have together. They had five.
Jerry passed away as he wished, peacefully tucked in his home in Kingston, with his wife by his side and his daughter and son nearby. His last words to his beloved wife were, “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
Jerry O’Brien’s life was a tapestry of love, creativity, dedication, and grace. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. The family kindly requests that donations be made in his memory to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, a cause close to their hearts.