Federick J. O'Brien

Dr. Frederick J. O'Brien of West Hartford and Narragansett, R.I., passed away peacefully with his family by his side on April 15, 2008 at St. Francis Hospital. Born in Providence, R.I., to Helen Carey and John O'Brien, Fred was a graduate of La Salle Academy, Brown University and Boston University School of Medicine. After a year of internship at St. Francis Hospital, he spent two years in the U.S. Air Force, followed by two years of Medical Residency at Boston V.A. Hospital. Fred returned to St. Francis Hospital for his third year of residency and started his private practice of Internal Medicine in 1960, retiring in 2005. A true gentleman, Fred was devoted to his family, his faith, his medical practice and patients, his colleagues, and his many dear friends. He will forever be remembered for his integrity, kindness and gentle dignity. Fred is survived by his wife, Virginia Ginny Murphy O'Brien and their seven children, their spouses, and 14 grandchildren: son Michael, his wife Ann and their children, Michael and Kelly, all of Cheshire; daughter Joan, her husband David Wildfeuer and their daughter Rachel, all of Berwyn, PA; son Timothy, his wife Linda and their children, Sarah and Kevin, all of Wellesley, MA; son Daniel, his wife Andrea and their daughters Megan, Claire and Erin, all of West Hartford; daughter Erin, her husband Brian Earley and their children Christina, Meredith, Sean and Brigid, all of Franklin, MA; daughter Nora of Santa Monica, CA; and daughter Carey, her husband Chris McGlynn, and sons Conor and Brendan, of Oakville, Ontario. Fred is also survived by his sister Helen and her husband Joe Sapkowski; his brother Albert and his wife Mary, and his sister-in-law Ann O'Brien. And he leaves behind many dear nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Besides his parents and his brother Jack, Fred was predeceased by his infant daughter, Mary, his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Grace and Jack Murphy and Joanne and Tom Lee, and his precious granddaughter, Nicole Wildfeuer. An avid sports fan, one of Fred's greatest pleasures was watching his children and grandchildren play sports. He played tennis weekly, found joy and frustration on the golf course, and spent a lifetime cheering for his beloved Red Sox. Visitation will be from 4PM – 8PM on Friday, April 18th at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave. West Hartford. Funeral services will be Saturday April 19th at 10:30 a.m. from the funeral home with the celebration of a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. in St. Thomas the Apostle church, West Hartford. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford. Donations in his memory may be made to the Nicole E. Wildfeuer Memorial Fund, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th Street and Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104. Letters of condolence may be sent via the funeral home's web site at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

Federick J. O'Brien

September 2, 1928 - April 15, 2008