Robert Joseph O’Brien, age 103, of Sea Island, Georgia, formerly of Winnetka, IL passed away on January 4, 2022. Beloved husband of the late “Gerry McCarthy” for nearly 72 years. Loving Father of Robert, Jr. (Rita), Nancy (Richard) Kehoe, Susan Lodge, John (Patricia), the late James, and Laurie (Joseph) Bauer. Proud Poppy to 22 grandchildren: Robert III (Kim) O’Brien, Aimee (Ryan) Donovan, Sally (John Paul Girod) O’Brien, Meaghan Maher, Michael (Sara) Smylie, Ben Barton (Elizabeth) Smylie, John Smylie, Mathew Smylie, James (Jodie) Smylie, Kathleen (Michael) Then, Colleen (Tony) Meyers, Laurie Ann (Robert) Hamman, Heather (Scott) Wojteczko, Kenneth Lodge, John (Theresa) OBrien Jr., Therese OBrien, Timothy (Ellen) OBrien, Carmel (Dylan) Brennan, Joseph (Kathleen) Bauer Jr., Madeline (Joseph) Chiczewski, Caroline Bauer, Matthew Bauer and 33 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents: Lillian and William O’Brien, and siblings, Virginia, Lillian, William, and Louise.
Bob was raised in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, and graduated from Mt. Carmel High School. Bob then helped support his family during the Great Depression, while at the same time put himself through night school at De Paul University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. During WWII he served with the Navy as a Radar Technician.
He met the love of his life, Gerry McCarthy, in 1944, and after a beautiful courtship they were married at St. Philip Neri Church on April 19, 1947. They honeymooned in Sea Island, GA.
One of Bob’s greatest attributes was his worth ethic. His first job was at 10 years old as a paper boy, and he has never stopped working since then. Some of the highlights were jobs in a milk factory, Andy Frain Usher, Steel Mill, and he even raised chickens on the side. In 1952 Bob started his life’s work when he joined his father-in-law at John V. McCarthy & CO, one of the founding members of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), and the predecessor of today’s R. J. O’Brien & Assoc. (RJO). During his career he was elected to the governing board of the CME from 1964-1977 and served as its Chairman in 1967 and 1968. Under his leadership RJO grew into the largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States. In 2007 Bob was inducted into the FIA Futures Hall of Fame.
Bob was a very active member in several parishes and communities starting with St. Philip Neri, where he was on many boards and committees, chairing quite a few. There he co-founded the St. Philip Neri Players Group, where they wrote and performed musicals for the community. In 1964 the family moved to Sacred Heart Parish in Winnetka, where he was soon involved in parish and community life. A highlight was his induction into the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
Bob and Gerry eventually retired to Sea Island, GA in 1979, where they built their dream home "Lune de Miel", a place of great gatherings of family, friends, and lifelong memories that we will all cherish forever. He was an active and beloved member of his parish, St. Williams Catholic Church, in St. Simons.
Bob had great fun in his retirement. He enjoyed his nightly martini, his dog Snickers, James bond movies, countless visitors, his jokes for all occasions, his sport coats of many colors, and especially his hole in one on the golf course.
The O’Brien family will be forever grateful for the tender and loving care by the many wonderful nurses and personel at Lune de Miel. We will never forget their kindness, love and attention to our father. We will always hold in our hearts the wonderful lessons he taught us of love, generosity, kindness, faith, hope, gratitude, humility and especially how to enjoy life. He is now joined with the love of his life in heaven looking as dapper as ever.
A funeral mass will be held at 3pm Friday, January 7, 2022, at St. Williams Catholic Church, 2300 Frederica Road, Saint Simons Island, GA 31522. Internment will be private. A memorial mass and celebration of life will be held in Chicago at a future date to be determined.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:
The Sarcoma Foundation of America: https://www.curesarcoma.org/ways-to-give2/
The Sea Island Legacy Fund, which link can be found on: www.coastalgeorgiafoundation.org
