Obituary of Dennis M. O'Brian

Dennis M. O’Brian, Ph.D., a resident of Darien for 32 years, passed away on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at the Rosenthal Hospice Residence in Stamford. Born in 1931 in New York City, he was the son of the late Dennis Martin O’Brian, M.D. and Margaret (Desmond) O’Brian. He was 76. Dennis graduated from Delbarton School in Morristown, NJ in 1948 and from St. Anselm’s College in 1952 with an A.B. degree. He received a Master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN in 1955. He continued his education at Fordham University in New York obtaining a Ph.D. in cell physiology in 1959. He subsequently obtained an MBA from the University of Connecticut in 1979. Dennis began his career at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ becoming a tenured professor in Biological Sciences before joining the pharmaceutical industry. He held positions in scientific research and administration at Squibb, Johnson and Johnson, Richardson Vick and Pharma. After his retirement from the pharmaceutical industry, he was an executive recruiter. For 25 years he was an active member of St. Thomas More Church in Darien, having served on the Parish Council, and in the Religious Education Program as a Catechist. He was especially fond of being a Eucharistic Minister at the Children’s Sunday Mass. He had a great love of the Irish language, started taking Gaelic lessons at the Fairfield Gaelic-American Club and eventually was a facilitator and teacher of a beginners’ class. He loved traveling, having visited Ireland many times as well as traveling to Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Iceland, Holland and Russia. He was especially fond of his trips to Israel, Australia and New Zealand. For the past years since retirement, he enjoyed winters in Florida and summers at his home in Montauk, NY. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Zita Burns O’Brian of Darien; a son Gerald Desmond O’Brian of Chester, NJ and his fiancée, Susan Donalds; a daughter, Denise O’Brian Lutkins of New Haven; a son-in-law, Peter Lutkins of Darien; and four beloved granddaughters, Sara Lutkins of Darien, Ashley, Alexandra and Anna O’Brian of Chester, NJ. He is also survived by a brother, Robert O’Brian of Fairfield, NJ; two sisters, Rosemary Donahue of Melbourne Beach, FL and Noreen Drukker of Montclair, NJ; two brothers-in-law, Monsignor G. Thomas Burns of Sarasota, FL; and Guy Muoio and his wife Mary Burns Muoio of Mantoloking, NJ and several nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road, Darien on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Thomas More Church, 374 Middlesex Road, Darien on Thursday, April 19, 2007 at 10:00 AM with Father Nicholas Punch, O.P. officiating. Burial will follow at Spring Grove Cemetery, Darien. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Whittingham Cancer Center at Norwalk Hospital, Maple Street, Norwalk, CT 06856 or to the Rosenthal Hospice Residence, c/o VNA Hospice Care, 1029 East Main Street, Stamford, CT 06902. Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820