Raymond O'Brien, Jr.

Raymond V. O'Brien, Jr., 91, beloved husband, father, grandfather and father-in-law, died peacefully on July 14,  2019,  surrounded by his loving wife, Ellen, of 37 years, and his 6 children. Born in the Bronx in 1927, he graduated from Regis High School and Fordham University in NYC and earned his JD from Fordham University Law School.

Ray was the former Chairman and CEO of Emigrant Savings Bank in NYC. Prior to Emigrant, he rose through the ranks of Chase Manhattan Bank to become Senior Vice President in charge of Shipping and Aerospace under David Rockefeller. Raymond was formerly a member of the Board of Directors of Todd Shipyards and International Ship Holding Corporation.  Ray was an extraordinary philanthropist and a dedicated supporter of the Catholic Church.  He was a Knight of Malta, Chairman of the Inner City Scholarship Fund of the Archdiocese of NYC working with Archbishop Cardinal O’Connor and Chairman of the Board of the CYO of NYC.  He was the Vice Chairman of the Board of Fordham University, Chairman of the Board of Regis High School and a Trustee of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ.  Ray was President of Navesink Country Club in Middletown, NJ as well as President of The Plantation in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Raymond served in the United States Army in 1946, and again as a First Lieutenant and Company Commander in the 558th Motor Division in Seoul, South Korea during the Korean War. Raymond lived in The Bronx, Stuyvesant Town (NYC), Matawan, NJ, Colts Neck, NJ and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Raymond was married in 1982 to his adoring wife, Ellen, from Seaford, Long Island. He is also survived by his 6 children from his previous marriage to Theresa Sweeney (deceased) from 1952 to 1981:  Dr. Susan O’Brien of Laguna Beach, CA; Raymond O’Brien III (Patty) of La Canada, CA; Christopher O’Brien (Elizabeth) of Greenwich, CT; Sean O’Brien (Kerry) of Colts Neck, NJ; Dr. Carol O’Brien of Rocky Hill, CT; and Nancy Meisenzahl (Scott) of Webster, NY.  Ray is also survived by 11 loving grandchildren: Raymond, William (Claire), Brendan, Matthew, Griffin, Kayleigh, Connor, Jack, Rory, Ryan, and Maeve.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL on Monday July 22, 2019 at 11:00 am.  Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to his beloved Regis High School in NYC (https://www.regis.org/section/?ID=220) and/or The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.