[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 25 (Thursday, February 8, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING JOSEPH R. O'BRIEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 8, 2018

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I today say 
goodbye to a dear friend, Joseph R. ``Joe'' O'Brien, who passed away on 
February 7th, 2018 at the age of 79. Joe served as my Director of 
Public Affairs for many years, and in that time, I came to know him as 
a warm, caring human being with a razor-sharp wit and tremendous sense 
of humor. I am going to miss him dearly.
  A longtime resident of the Bronx, Joe was a newsman who later served 
as Deputy Press Secretary to Mayor Edward Koch from 1979 to 1985. For 
the next 11 years, he continued directing public relations for city and 
state government with the Special Services for Children agency of the 
Human Resources Administration, the city Department of Transportation, 
and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. He also served as 
Deputy Press Secretary for Yonkers Mayor Terrance Zaleski for two years 
before joining my office in May of 1996, where he worked until his 
retirement in 2013. Later he joined Bronx Community Board 8, where he 
served until September 2017.
  Born May 26, 1938, Joe was the youngest of four children of Irish 
immigrants, Thomas and Margaret O'Brien (nee Coffey), and grew up in 
the Inwood section of upper Manhattan. He served in the Army Reserve 
and graduated from New York University in 1966. He worked for several 
newspapers in New Jersey and upstate New York. In 1967, he joined the 
United Press International wire service in New York as a reporter on 
the Local desk, and then as an editor on the International and General 
desks. Joe married New York Daily News reporter Cass Vanzi in 1975. The 
couple had two children together whom he is survived by; his daughter, 
Casey O'Brien Schwarz and son Scott O'Brien. Joe is also survived by 
his three beautiful grandchildren, Kaleb and Kaia O'Brien, and Leopold 
(O'Brien) Schwarz, and his brother Kenneth O'Brien of Crestwood, NY.
  Everyone, who ever met Joe knew he was one of a kind. Though he was a 
tremendously talented writer and gifted communicator, it was his 
wonderful personality that really shined brightest. Nobody could light 
up the room with a joke or quick comment like Joe. My condolences go 
out to the entire O'Brien family. Joe will be greatly missed.

                          ____________________