Army Veteran Was UPS Worker in Chelmsford

He was born in Lowell, July 16, 1947, a son of the late Edward R. and Margaret (Sullivan) O’Brien, and was raised in Lowell. He graduated Lowell High School with the Class of 1965, and attended the University of Tampa in Florida. He enlisted into the U.S. Army, and served in Germany and Thailand. 

Upon discharge he began his career as a Warehouseman for Purity Supreme Markets in Chelmsford, where he was a member of the AFL-CIO Teamsters, Local 25. After Purity closed, he worked for United Parcel Service, at the Chelmsford terminal. Since his retirement from UPS, he worked part time as a bartender at Longmeadow Golf Club in Lowell.

He an honorary life member at Longmeadow Golf Club, where he was an active participant of league and tournament golf. He enjoyed an annual August pilgrimage to Saratoga Springs for the championship horse racing season, and was an avid fan of all Boston’s professional sports leagues.

Besides his wife, he is survived by four children, Christopher Murphy and his wife Alla of Vass, N.C., Julie (Murphy) Driscoll and her husband Stephen of Milton, MA, Patricia (Murphy) Buonaiuto and her husband Steven of Wellesley, and Pamela (Murphy) Walczak of Dracut; two sisters, Barbara Antifonario and her husband Joseph of Lowell, and Betsy O’Brien-McKeon and her husband Robert of Purdys, NY; seven grandchildren, Emily and Kerry Driscoll, Amanda and Matthew Buonaiuto, Kelly and Sean Murphy, and Lei Walczak; niece and nephews Edward and Tara Antifonario, and Matthew McKeon; special Godson, John Rogers of Lowell.

His funeral will begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. from the funeral home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. in St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St. (Rte. 38) Tewksbury. 

Burial with Army honors will be in St. Mary Cemetery, No. Tewksbury. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Winchester Hospital Cancer Center, Attn: Foundation, 41 Highland Ave., Winchester, MA 01890 or www.winchesterhospital.org