Thomas Garrett O’Brien, 70, of Drexel Hill, PA, passed away suddenly but peacefully, surrounded by family, on November 14, 2017, in Pueblo, Colorado. His parents, James F. and Mary M. O’Brien of West Stockbridge, MA, preceded him in death. Born in West Stockbridge, MA in 1947, Tom O’Brien excelled academically. During his grade school years, he and his identical twin brother Dennis often switched places in class to challenge their teachers. Tom attended Carleton College in Minnesota, where he received his B.A. (1968) in Chemistry. He pursued his lifelong plan to become a scientist and received his Ph.D. in Oncology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1975. Tom spent the next 35 years in the greater Philadelphia area running two highly successful research laboratories. The first at the Wistar Institute, an independent nonprofit on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, followed by the second at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research at Lankenau Hospital. Recognized as a world-renowned cancer biologist, Tom identified the role of polyamines in cancer development, and then went on to characterize mechanisms by which tumor-promoting agents stimulate mutated cells to grow into tumors. Tom focused on defining modifier genes that dictate patient susceptibilities to cancer and their treatment. Because tumors possess high levels of polyamines compared to normal tissues, he also pioneered a new polyaminetargeting therapy for use in cancer chemotherapies. Throughout his career, Tom received numerous National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to support his research, mentored many young scientists, and obtained patents on a genetically engineered mouse and a clinically significant human DNA sequence. When he retired in 2011, he was a Professor and Deputy Director at Lankenau.In his leisure time, Tom enjoyed watching sports, especially baseball games involving the New York Yankees. A diehard Yankees fan, he sparred regularly with his brother Dennis, an avid Red Sox fan. At family get-togethers, they could often be found arguing over sports, the stock market, and politics. Over dinner conversations, his children benefited from his wisdom. He prized critical thinking and higher education, and passed along these values to them. He was a man who always gave an intelligent answer to any questions posed to him. While Tom enjoyed playing poker (hi-lo) with colleagues and friends, after he retired, he resumed playing bridge regularly with his brother and others from around the Philadelphia area. Tom bought and managed a duplicate bridge club, called the Bridge Club of Delaware County for several years.Tom is survived by his wife, Anita (nee Impellizeri) O’Brien as well as his four children, Kelly King-O’Brien (Charissa) of Ithaca, NY, Carrie O’Brien of DuBois, PA, and Armando O’Brien and Ramon O’Brien of Drexel Hill, PA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Mia and Luna King-O’Brien and his brothers Dennis J. O’Brien of Ambler, PA and Joseph R. O’Brien (the late Kellie) of Pueblo, Colorado, sisters Mary Kay Stodden of West Stockbridge, MA and Joanne (Terance) Flynn of Stockbridge, MA, as well as his aunt Catherine Daly of Bloomfield, CT and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to his visitation Friday, December 1, 2017 from 6:30 pm to 9 pm in the Funeral Home of John Stretch at: 236 East Eagle Road, Havertown, PA, 19083 and to an additional visitation on Saturday December 2, 2017 from 9:30 am to 11:30am in the Holy Comforter Church 1000 Burmont Rd. Drexel Hill, Pa. 19026 followed by his 11:30 am Celebration of the Holy Eucharist at the Holy Comforter Church. Interment Private. In lieu of flowers, an offering in Mr. O’Brien’s name to either the Lankenau Medical Center Foundation 100 East Lancaster Ave. Wynnewood, PA 19096 to further support cancer research or to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) 3401 Civic Center Blvd. Philadelphia, PA 19104 would be appreciated.——————————————————————————————————-Tom is one of the very few classmates I have had any contact with since 1968. By about 1980 he was in Philly working at the Wistar Institute, which is probably familiar to chemists. Around then I bumped into him on the subway. We had a few contacts, no more than five–a couple of hoops one-on-one’s, some rounds in a few pubs, and I believe he and his wife/girlfriend came over for dinner one evening. But we were both busy with our own lives, and the contacts lapsed.Ernie Yates ’68————————————————–I knew Tom at Carleton as a fellow chem major. Although we both went to graduate in Madison, WI, we were in different departments and I did not have contact with him. As both our careers progressed in the area of biological research, our paths began to cross again at scientific conferences. Tom would always provide an encouraging word, and we would discuss some science, reminisce some, and catch up on each other’s lives. Our shared experience at Carleton was a bond that remained through the years. I was looking forward to seeing Tom at reunion. I regret that now it will not be possible.Joyce Clark Knutson ’68————————————————-Tom (“OB”) and I were both chemistry majors so when I roomed with OB and Bob Noonan, another chemistry major, on 2nd Severance our senior year approximately 20% of the chemistry majors in our class were living together. I meet OB and Bob freshman year when we had pre-chem-major classes together and I got to know them very well our sophomore and junior years as we all played Rotblatt, including the three of us being team captains our junior year. OB was a very good athlete, a big baseball fan and knew that drafting good athletes for his Rotblatt team such as David Gast whose “resume” indicated that he had played shortstop and had a good batting average in his “youth” was the best approach for the Rotblatt player draft. This fortuitous decision meant that the four of us became very good friends which resulted in many, many bridge games where OB and I took on the “It” partnership of Noonan and Gast. After we graduated, I visited OB in Madison numerous times where he was in grad school and OB visited me numerous times in St. Paul when we often played duplicate bridge (years later OB purchased a duplicate-bridge club). During a visit to Madison, I loaned OB and his new bride Debbie a sleeping bag for their “honeymoon” road trip which OB subsequently claimed played a part in the birth of their first daughter (Kelly). OB was one of those class people that you don’t meet often enough. I was very lucky to have him as a good friend for over 50 years and I was very much looking forward to seeing him at the 50th reunion until I learned that he had died in November. OB was always a big Yankees fan so it seemed very appropriate that the memorial card from his memorial service had the Yankees’ logo and pinstripes on it.Tom Kenyon ’68—————————————————Tom (“OB”) and I roomed together both junior year (2nd Davis) and senior year (2nd Severance) and were both Chem majors. Needless to say — lots in common and super compatibility. We determined that for our senior year roomies had to be science majors, bridge players, and Rotblatt heroes, Great memories of chemistry mysteries, bridge games; and not so great memories of Rotblatt. Just saw OB once after graduation at our 25th reunion and was really looking forward to seeing him again at the 50th. Not to be.Bob Noonan ’68—————————————————I first met Tom (OB) in Davis Hall during the first term of our freshman year and we became good friends and remained so until his death. Our friendship deepened significantly during our junior year when OB drafted me for his Rotblatt team and we held down the left side of the infield next to each other (very successfully I might add). We were on the same team again our senior year. Senior year we lived in Severance and although I had a room on 4th Severance, I pretty much spent my waking hours on 2nd Severance with OB, Tom Kenyon and Bob Noonan, all of whom I have remained in contact with over the years. I still remember our many bridge games with great fondness.David Gast ’68
Comments
Tom is one of the very few classmates I have had any contact with since 1968. By about 1980 he was in Philly working at the Wistar Institute, which is probably familiar to chemists. Around then I bumped into him on the subway. We had a few contacts, no more than five--a couple of hoops one-on-one's, some rounds in a few pubs, and I believe he and his wife/girlfriend came over for dinner one evening. But we were both busy with our own lives, and the contacts lapsed.
Ernie Yates '68
I knew Tom at Carleton as a fellow chem major. Although we both went to graduate in Madison, WI, we were in different departments and I did not have contact with him. As both our careers progressed in the area of biological research, our paths began to cross again at scientific conferences. Tom would always provide an encouraging word, and we would discuss some science, reminisce some, and catch up on each other's lives. Our shared experience at Carleton was a bond that remained through the years. I was looking forward to seeing Tom at reunion. I regret that now it will not be possible.
Tom (“OB”) and I were both chemistry majors so when I roomed with OB and Bob Noonan, another chemistry major, on 2nd Severance our senior year approximately 20% of the chemistry majors in our class were living together. I meet OB and Bob freshman year when we had pre-chem-major classes together and I got to know them very well our sophomore and junior years as we all played Rotblatt, including the three of us being team captains our junior year. OB was a very good athlete, a big baseball fan and knew that drafting good athletes for his Rotblatt team such as David Gast whose “resume” indicated that he had played shortstop and had a good batting average in his “youth” was the best approach for the Rotblatt player draft. This fortuitous decision meant that the four of us became very good friends which resulted in many, many bridge games where OB and I took on the “It” partnership of Noonan and Gast. After we graduated, I visited OB in Madison numerous times where he was in grad school and OB visited me numerous times in St. Paul when we often played duplicate bridge (years later OB purchased a duplicate-bridge club). During a visit to Madison, I loaned OB and his new bride Debbie a sleeping bag for their “honeymoon” road trip which OB subsequently claimed played a part in the birth of their first daughter (Kelly). OB was one of those class people that you don’t meet often enough. I was very lucky to have him as a good friend for over 50 years and I was very much looking forward to seeing him at the 50th reunion until I learned that he had died in November. OB was always a big Yankees fan so it seemed very appropriate that the memorial card from his memorial service had the Yankees’ logo and pinstripes on it.
Tom ("OB") and I roomed together both junior year (2nd Davis) and senior year (2nd Severance) and were both Chem majors. Needless to say -- lots in common and super compatability. We determined that for our senior year roomies had to be science majors, bridge players, and Rotblatt heroes, Great memories of chemistry mysteries, bridge games; and not so great memories of Rotblatt. Just saw OB once after graduation at our 25th reunion and was really looking forward to seeing him again at the 50th. Not to be.
I first met Tom (OB) in Davis Hall during the first term of our freshman year and we became good friends and remained so until his death. Our friendship deepened significantly during our junior year when OB drafted me for his Rotblatt team and we held down the left side of the infield next to each other (very successfully I might add). We were on the same team again our senior year. Senior year we lived in Severance and although I had a room on 4th Severance, I pretty much spent my waking hours on 2nd Severance with OB, Tom Kenyon and Bob Noonan, all of whom I have remained in contact with over the years. I still remember our many bridge games with great fondness.