Thomas Ellis O'Brien, 74, of Horseshoe Rd., Appomattox, died Sunday, September 8, 2013, at his residence. He was the husband of Joanne Price O'Brien for 56 years.
Born in Appomattox County, VA, on December 6, 1938, he was a son of the late James Howard O'Brien and Margaret Smith O'Brien.
In addition to his wife, Joanne, he is survived as he would say, by "the five greatest kids in the world"; Kathy O. Womack and husband Carlton, Pamela O. Campbell and husband Tommy, Kevin H. O'Brien and wife Teresa, Cindy O. Hopkins and husband Roy, and Stacie Swan and husband Don; his 12 grandchildren, T. Joseph Womack and wife Randee, Maghan Hopkins, Josh O'Brien, Christen Campbell, Erin O'Brien, Kaitlyn Hopkins, Cari Campbell, Sam O'Brien, Leah Swan, Lydia Swan, Mary O'Brien and Laney Swan; a great granddaughter, Finlee Womack; two sisters, Maurine Hockman and Nelwyn Smith; numerous nieces and nephews including, Richard S. O'Brien, Jr. and wife Tammy, Sean O'Brien and Bonnie O. Knight and husband Eric; two sisters-in-law, Nellie O'Brien and Linda Peters; brother-in-law, Clyde Price and wife Carolyn; special cousins, Jane Smith and Bill Ford; and special friends, Annette, Fred, Ottie, Jim, Ottoway, James, Duwayne and many more.
He was preceded in death by brothers and sisters, Ouida and Owen Persinger, Clyde and Ellen O'Brien, Eloise and Omer Burnett, Claudine O'Brien, Wallace O'Brien, James and Frances O'Brien, Wyatt O'Brien, and Dickie and Sylvia O'Brien; his father and mother-in-law, Willard and Ruby Price.
He was a 1957 graduate of Appomattox High School and in 1960 he graduated from V.P.I. Tommy was a lifelong member of New Hope Baptist Church in Vera but for the last 10 years he had been attending Liberty Baptist Church. He loved sports and playing football for VA Tech. He taught and coached at E. C. Glass High School, where he coached the 1960 undefeated team. He was inducted in 2012 into the Lynchburg Sports Hall of Fame. He left coaching but continued his love of sports by refereeing football and basketball for over 50 years. Tommy took a position with the Ralston Purina Company for a number of years before moving back to Appomattox and becoming the owner and operator for O'Brien Equipment in Farmville from 1969 – 1980. He then became a real estate agent, broker, and the owner of O'Brien Real Estate which he ran until his illness.
A celebration of life service will be held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 11, 2013, in New Hope Baptist Church by the Rev. Ron Moore and Dr. Rusty Small. The family will receive friends at the home of Kathy and Carlton Womack, 788 Cedar Tree Rd., Appomattox.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, 1030 Oakville Road, Appomattox, VA 24522.