John J. "Jack" O'Brien

John James "Jack" O'Brien, KM (1932-2024)

After a gentle but persistent decline over the last year from the effects of age, which he humbly accepted without anger or complaint, early Wednesday morning, December 18, John James "Jack" O'Brien died peacefully in his sleep, having received on Monday Viaticum and the Rite of Anointing of the Sick. In two months, Jack would have celebrated his 93rd birthday.

Jack was born February 26, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, a product of the Great Depression and the son of Irish immigrants, John and Rose, nee Quinn, O’Brien. Jack served in the U.S. Air Force between 1953 and 1955 and thereafter earned his Bachelors' degree from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Ann Deering, brother Vince, and sister Madge Stockdale. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jeanne Lyons-O'Brien, his brother Jim and sister Rosie Bridgman as well as two children Annemarie Cruz (Aaron) and John, and four step-children: Christina Gignoux (Greg), Thomas Lyons (Tracy), Mark Lyons (Becky) and Stephanie Adams (Ryan), and was "Gramps" to 18 grandchildren.

In business, Jack was the owner and president of Arizona Truck Center, Inc., a dealer of Mack Truck, Inc., a company Jack served for 42 years. Always proud of his Irish heritage and his Catholic Faith, Jack was a devoted family man, generous with his time and treasure. Inspired by the challenges faced by his eldest son, John, Jack served for many years as the President of the Phoenix Chapter of the National Autistic Society and on the Board of Catholic Charities of Phoenix. Jack was also an avid hiker, particularly if any and all trails in Arizona, and a longtime member and past President of the Serra Club of Phoenix.

Jack was invested in the Order of Malta in 1991 and granted permission to make the Promise of Obedience in 2003. Over the years, he served the Order in numerous capacities, including as Hospitaller and then President of the Phoenix Region, for six years as a member of the Western Association's Board of Directors, as a Team Captain and later brancardier on the Association's Lourdes pilgrimages, and as the Co-Director (with Jeanne) of the Lourdes Pilgrimages in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Altogether, Jack enthusiastically participated in 24 of the Association's Lourdes Pilgrimages and on the Order's Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Jack loved working side-by-side with his fellow Dames and Knights, particularly at Phoenix's Andre House, which serves the homeless and desperately poor. For his many years of service, in 2007, Jack was awarded the Order's Cross of Merit.   

On Sunday, December 29, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., there will be a viewing and recitation of Vespers for the repose of Jack's soul at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School, Phoenix, AZ 85018. Jack's funeral Mass will take place on the following day, Monday, December 30, at 10:00 a.m. in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 4715 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Andre House (https://andrehouse.org/) or Catholic Charities (https://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org)