Mark O'Bryan's Father Edward O'Bryan Passed Away

Edward Anson O’Bryan

St. Albans - Edward Anson O’Bryan, 86, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at the Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington with his loving family at his side. The son of the late Guy A. and Verna (Shepard) O’Bryan, he was born on March 25, 1922, in Bristol, Vermont. On June 12, 1947, in Middlesex, Vermont, Ed married the former Lucille Lonergan, who survives him.

Ed was a 1940 graduate of Rutland High School where he was a member of the football, basketball and baseball teams. He then attended Pratt Whitney Aircraft Training School in Hartford, Connecticut. Ed worked at Pratt Whitney until March of 1943. He joined the United States Marine Corps and was stationed at Parris Island, South Carolina. During World War II Ed trained and saw duty in the South Pacific, New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Banika-Russell Islands and Marshall Islands. Ed landed on Guam on “Liberation Day”, third wave with the 3rd Marine Division. Fifty-years later he was invited back to Guam to be honored as one of the liberators of that country. He returned to the United States in December of 1945 and was Honorably Discharged on January 3, 1946. Ed then entered Vermont Junior College in Montpelier where “Obie” met Lucille and they were married in 1947. Ed then entered Ithaca College and during the Korean War he was recalled to Active Duty at Camp Lajeune, North Carolina with the United States Marines, 2nd Division. He was Honorably Discharged on December 9, 1952, and graduated Ithaca College in 1953. He taught at schools in Bristol, St. Johnsbury Trade School, Porter School of Design and Engineering in Wethersfield, Connecticut and Burlington High School. Ed then became the Assistant Training Director for National Tool and Die Precision Machining Association of Washington, D.C. He returned to Vermont and taught at Harwood Union High School until his retirement. Ed retired in 1985 after teaching and coaching for twenty-seven years. As an educator he served as a teacher, coach, department head and athletic director.

He was a life member of Robert E. Glidden Post # 758, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Green Mountain Post # 1, American Legion. He was also a member of the National Rifle Association, Franklin County Sportsmen’s Club, Lake Champlain Walleye Association, the National Ski Patrol at Smuggler’s Notch, the Marine Corps, Donald Cook Detachment, Second Marine Division Association, Third Marine Division Association and the United States Marine Corps, Fifth Fielders Association.

Survivors include his wife of sixty-one years, Lucille of St. Albans; four children, David Anson O’Bryan and his wife, Paulette of Barre, Vermont; Candace Irene Barnes and her husband, Steven of South Burlington, Vermont; Peter Charles O’Bryan and his wife, Barbara of St. Albans, Vermont; and Mark Steven O’Bryan and his wife, Jeanne of Fairfax, Vermont; his six grandchildren, Thomas and Benjamin O’Bryan, Steven, Jr. and Michelle Barnes, Erin and Monika O’Bryan and two great-grandchildren, Adeline and Ashley. Ed is also survived by his brother, Robert LeRoy O’Bryan and his wife, Frances of Vergennes, Vermont. In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by four brothers, Ronald, Melwood, Donald and Lawrence.

A Service of Remembrance will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2008, at 2:00 P.M. at the Heald Funeral Home, 87 South Main Street, St. Albans. Interment will be later this spring at the O’Bryan family lot in St. Albans Bay Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ed’s name may be made to the St. Albans Dialysis Unit, 7-8 Crest Road, Doctors Office Commons, St. Albans, Vermont 05478. Messages of condolence to the O’Bryan family are welcome at www.healdfuneralhome.com.