Former Morris Freeholder, Victim's Rights Advocate Dead at 84

James O’Brien used his family’s tragedy to help others in New Jersey.

The former Mendham Township resident and five-year Morris County Freeholder died Dec. 26 in Maryland at the age of 84, according to his obituary.

O’Brien was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania and graduated the Fordham University School of Business in 1955. O’Brien served as a first lieutenant during the Korean War and stayed in the Army Reserves for an additional three years.

In his career, O’Brien was president of O’Brien Industries in Livingston, New Jersey for nearly 30 years.

His family’s life took a tragic turn in Dec. 1982, when O’Brien’s daughter Deidre was abducted from her car, raped, and stabbed before dying as a result of her injuries. The murderer, James Koedatich, is serving life in prison for that and another crime, according to dailyrecord.com.

Because of his daughter’s death, O’Brien and his wife, Georgia, began working for victims’ rights and helped establish The Deirdre O’Brien Child Advocacy Center with a building at 8 Court Street in Morristown known as Dierdre’s House, the report said.

O’Brien won a seat on the Morris County Board of Freeholders in 1992 and served for five years. Former New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman appointed O’Brien Commissioner of the Victim’s Rights Compensation Board for the State of the New Jersey, where he served until 2001.

O’Brien is survived by his wife, Georgia, of 59 years, three children, and six grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to Deirdre’s House at 8 Court Street in Morristown, NJ 07960.