John Joseph O'Brien

John “Crazy Jack” Joseph O’Brien John Joseph O’Brien, lovingly known as “Crazy Jack”, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on Thursday, July 2, 2026. John entered eternal life at the age of 83, celebrating his first heavenly birthday on July 8, 2026. Family Background John was born on July 8, 1942, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Charles “Charlie” and Catherine “Kay” O’Brien. He grew up with one brother, Daniel “Danny” O’Brien, his wife Lori, and five sisters: Mary Schroeder, her husband Jim; Patricia “Patty” Sister Charleen O’Brien; Margaret “Marge, Eileen” Hilton, her husband Chuck; Kathleen “Kathy” Akel, her husband David; and Susan “Sue” Wein, her husband Terry. John and his siblings moved with their parents to Salinas, California, in 1945, where he attended Palma High School. It was there that he met his wife Shirley, whom he married on April 14, 1962. After John enlisted in the United States Air Force, the young couple moved to Merced, California, where he was stationed at Castle Air Force Base and there, they welcomed their first son, David. Soon after, they moved back to their hometown of Salinas, Prunedale area, where they built their life together in their current home for 58 years. Education & Career John dedicated his life to hard work and providing for his family. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1961 and proudly served for four years while stationed at Castle Air Force Base in Merced, California. Following his military service, he worked as a milkman for 2 years and spent more than 30 years in the liquor, wine and beer distribution business where he was respected by coworkers and customers alike. Marriage & Family On April 14, 1962, John married his wife, Shirley Vargas, in Salinas, California. Together they shared 64 years of marriage with love, devotion and commitment. Together they raised four children: David “Dave” O’Brien; Tammy Pepple, her husband Mark; Thomas “Tom, Bobo” O’Brien, his wife Lisa; and Bonnie O’Brien, her fiancé Todd Clickard. John was a proud grandfather to six grandchildren: Brandon Holt, his wife Jessica; Jonathan Jutba, his fiancé Mariah Winstead; Corena Jutba, her fiancé James Weeton; Joshua Jutba, Alyssa (Pepple) Virgil, her husband Dustan; and Jenna Pepple. John was also blessed with twin great-grandchildren: Amara Virgil and Zayden Virgil. Passions & Personality John found great happiness in camping, fishing, hunting, gardening and bowling. John was able to enjoy bowling until 2024, though everyone knew he loved the social aspect probably more than the game itself! Shirley often had to remind him that it was his turn to bowl because he was so busy visiting with others. More than anything, however, he cherished spending time with his family. As parents, John and Shirley rarely missed one of their children’s sporting events. In fact, he spent time coaching some of his children’s teams when they were young, as well as with them at home, after work and many weekends. Whether it was bowling, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, or even horseshoes, one of them was always there cheering from the sidelines. Their support and encouragement left a lasting impact on their children. Every August, John and Shirley packed up the family into their little camping trailer for a two-week vacation. As the children grew, the trailer seemed to shrink, but those trips became treasured family traditions. He wanted his children to experience everything he loved about the outdoors – campfires under the stars, swimming, fishing, and, most importantly, the joy of simply being together as a family. John’s Catholic faith was the cornerstone of his life. He faithfully attended Mass every Sunday and also attended morning Mass often. Even then, his faith remained strong. Thanks to Cornelia from his parish, he was able to receive Holy Communion at home each week, a blessing that meant so much to him and the family. Two nights before passing, John received the Sacrament of the Anointing (Last Rights), bringing great comfort and peace to both him and his family. John often reminded his family, “Life is short. Make the most of it. You don’t understand how fast it goes until you get older.” “In the blink of an eye,” he’d say. Years ago, he would say that if he made it to 50 years old, he would be happy because he had already lived such a wonderful life. But when heart disease developed in his early sixties, he decided he wasn’t quite ready for Heaven yet. After receiving a heart transplant, John was blessed with 20 additional years of life – a gift for which his family remains forever grateful. One of the family’s greatest blessings during John’s final year was him being able to remain at home surrounded by those he loved. This would not have been possible without the extraordinary devotion of his son Dave, who lovingly assumed the responsibilities of both caregiver and nurse while also helping care for Shirley and the household. His compassion, sacrifice and unwavering commitment allowed John to spend his final days in the comfort of his own home surrounded by his loving family. The family will always be deeply grateful for that incredible gift. Favorite Memories & Stories John and Shirley loved the great outdoors and camping with the family. When the children were very young, they set off in August on their usual camping adventure. One year, John came up with a special idea and said to the family, “Wouldn’t it be fun to dig a hole and each bury our plastic spoon in it? Then, when we come back years from now, we can see if we can find the tree where we buried them.” And that is exactly what they did. The spoons were buried, a makeshift map was drawn, and years later, when the children had grown into teenagers, the family returned to that same campground, where they then dug up the spoons they had buried there years before. The campfire seemed to glow a little brighter for each of them that night. John also loved hunting and spending time in nature. In the later years, Shirley would come along for the ride as she enjoyed being in nature alongside her husband as well. One particular trip took them into the mountains. By that time, they were both diabetic, so they were always careful to carry their medications, along with extra food and water. They were especially thankful they did. That year, heavy rains had left the mountain roads muddy, slick and dangerous. Their guardian angels were certainly watching over them when their Bronco began to slide and came to rest dangerously close to the edge of a cliff with a 30-foot drop. Shirley later said that if she had opened the door to get out, she would have not seen the ground beneath her – because there wasn’t any for at least 30 feet. Despite the frightening situation, they remained calm. John secured the front and back of the Bronco to nearby trees to keep it from moving farther. There was no cell service and as evening approached, Shirley began to worry. She reminded John they had food in the vehicle and wondered what they would do if bears came around. John reassured her they would be safe and encouraged her to get comfortable for the night. The next morning, John carefully stepped out of the Bronco – on the side away from the 30-foot drop, of course—and told Shirley he would walk in search of cell service to make the call for help. As he walked around the back of the vehicle, he noticed something that made the situation even more unforgettable: fresh bear tracks right beside the Bronco. After being stranded in the mountains for 26 hours, John was finally able to get assistance, and the two safely returned home. Lastly, after about 45 years of marriage, Shirley was doing some spring cleaning and came across her kindergarten class photo. She placed it on the kitchen table and continued with her sorting. John had been outside and when he came in, he saw the class photo sitting there and asked Shirley why she had his kindergarten class photo out. She laughed and said, “John, that’s not yours, that’s mine.” He responded, “No it’s not. It’s mine. Look... here I am,” as he pointed himself out in the photo. She said, “Well, here I am,” as she pointed herself out in the photo. They both turned to each other in a certain, momentary lapse of confusion, then realized they were also in the same kindergarten class together. John said something like, “Well ain’t that something!” then they laughed and went on with their day. Survived By John is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Shirley O’Brien; his four children: David “Dave” O’Brien; Tammy Pepple with her husband Mark; Thomas “Tom, Bobo” O’Brien with his wife Lisa; and Bonnie O’Brien with her fiancé Todd Clickard; his six grandchildren: Brandon Holt with his wife Jessica; Jonathan Jutba with his fiancé Mariah Winstead; Corena Jutba with her fiancé James Weeton; Joshua Jutba; Alyssa (Pepple) Virgil with her husband Dustan; and Jenna Pepple; his twin great-grandchildren: Amara Virgil and Zayden Virgil; his four siblings: Mary Schroeder with her husband Jim; Patricia “Patty” Sister Charleen O’Brien; Margaret “Marge, Eileen” Hilton with her husband Chuck; and Kathleen “Kathy” Akel with her husband David “Dave”. Preceded in Death By His sister Theresa Rose O’Brien; Parents Charles “Charlie” and Catherine “Kay” O’Brien; his brother Daniel “Danny” O’Brien; and his sister Susan “Sue” Wein who went to her heavenly home 16 days prior to John. Service Details VIEWING, ROSARY & FUNERAL MASS Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Viewing & Rosary: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Mass begins at: 5:00 PM St. Patrick’s Catholic Church 721 Main Street Watsonville, CA 95076 GRAVESIDE: Thursday, July 23, 2026 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery 2900 Parker Flats Road Seaside, CA 93955 *Note: To live stream the Funeral Mass go to: [youtube.spatricks.org]youtube.spatricks.org RECEPTION: Thursday, July 23, 2026 12:00 PM – 5 :00PM Bayonet Black Horse 1 McClure Way Seaside, CA 93955 For directions and additional information go to: sacredspacememorial.com In Lieu of Flowers In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to any of the following: -Veterans Association -Stanford Hospital -Central Coast Visiting Nurses Association & Hospice -Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church, Castroville, CA -St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Watsonville, CA -Saint Judes Foundation Closing Thought The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to the physicians, nurses and caregivers at Stanford Hospital, the Veterans Administration, Central Coast Visiting Nurses Association & Hospice and the many compassionate nurses and caregivers who walked alongside John throughout his journey. Their skill, kindness and unwavering dedication brought comfort not only to John, but also to our entire family. Those who choose this calling out of genuine compassion are truly extraordinary people and we will always be grateful for the dignity, respect and loving care they provide. John lived a life rooted in faith, family, service and love. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, the stories he shared and the family he loved so deeply. John often referred to the Golden Rule and instilled in his family to treat people as you would like to be treated. He also loved the verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” -- John 3:16

John Joseph O'Brien

July 8, 1942 - July 2, 2026