Robert J. O’Connell III, 43.
Bob O’Connell, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, died Sunday evening, March 23rd, after a brave battle against cancer, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Bob was born on September 9th, 1970, son of Robert J. O’Connell Jr. and Patricia Murphy O’Connell, in White Plains, New York. He spent the first part of his childhood at 1737 Meadow Lane, East Meadow, New York, developing a love of soccer and drums which he carried into adulthood. In 1977 the family moved from Long Island to Worcester, Massachusetts, where Robert Jr. accepted a position at the esteemed Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology. Bob attended public schools, with a brief foray into Catholic school. During his teens he developed a healthy disdain for authority and a love of punk music and muscle cars. After having taken photography courses at the Rhode Island School of Design, Bob’s mother Pat, dared him to apply to college.
In 1991 Bob began attending Massachusetts College of Art (now Art and Design). There he quickly established a reputation for fast walking, plain talking, and drinking copious amounts of coffee. At MassArt Bob met many of his lifelong friends, including Tricia Neumyer who, after a decade-long engagement, would become his loving wife in 2007. MassArt friends Joshua Gigantino, Jonathan Grove, and Christian O’Brien made up the wedding party and remained loyal and loving friends throughout Bob’s life and through his illness.
At MassArt Bob abandoned his RISD medium in favor of Video and Computer Animation. At that time at MassArt these fields, along with experimental music and performance, were included in The Studio for Interrelated Media major (SIM). Bob’s artworks, presentation techniques and production design were admired for their daring, innovation, humor and passion and earned him the nickname “SIM Bob.”
After MassArt these skills and interests led Bob to the new technology of streaming video for the internet. He was an essential collaborator in serval dot-com startups. As the internet industry changed at the turn of the millennium, Bob went back to bare bones Audio Visual techniques. Starting as an installer at a local A/V company Bob again won the admiration of his peers and rose from the ranks of the cable pullers and installers to the more heady and cutting edge epoch of design and programming of touch-panel control systems. Many interesting projects went through his hands, some of note being the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Boston Police Department, Ropes & Gray, Boston, Brandeis University, Boston University and The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His work was noted not only for it’s technical excellence, but it’s innovative design and ease of use. Bob felt strongly that anyone walking into one of his rooms should be able to control the whole environment with no special training. His designs were as elegant as they were functional and earned him great praise from clients, colleagues and his industry at large.
Bob’s passion for technology was met by his love of cooking, beer, and the New England Patriots. Lucky friends and family could look forward to Bob’s Christmas Sauce, an eight hour marinara which he would nurse obsessively and can for loved ones. Bob was a fixture at the James’s Gate Pub in Jamaica Plain where his outgoing personality and generosity of spirit won him the hearts of many staff and regulars. His favorite bar stool will be remembered fondly. Bob was also instrumental in the Gate’s adoption of the offerings of Slumbrew, The Somerville Brewing Company, owned by long time MassArt Friend Caitlyn Jewel and her brewer husband Jeff. Bob and his wife were honored this past winter when Jeff and Caitlyn dedicated this year’s brewing of their Imperial Cream Ale, “My Better Half”, to them.
In April of 2013 Bob was diagnosed with cancer, but he never slowed down or let despair overcome him. He faced every new challenge with humor, hope, wisecracks and inextinguishable strength. His fight was an inspiration to all who knew him, but came to a close on the evening of March 23, 2014, surrounded by friends and family at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is survived by his loving wife Tricia Neumyer of Jamaica Plain, his sister Kathleen Polanowicz and her husband John of Northboro, stepmother Marjorie Hastings O’Connell of Boylston, stepbrother Eric Hastings and his wife Megan of Boston, niece Emily and nephews Daniel, Parker, Griffin, and Aiden.
And the fight continues. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either The American Cancer Society or Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Donations can be made in Bob’s name and can be directed specifically to lung cancer. Bob’s life will be celebrated by family and friends at The James’s Gate Pub, 6 McBride St., Jamaica Plain, on Monday, March 31st, from 6PM through 12AM. A memorial service is to be scheduled in the near future. Bob will be laid to rest in the Fern Hill area of Forest Hills Cemetery.
Bob O’Connell, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, died Sunday evening, March 23rd, after a brave battle against cancer, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Bob was born on September 9th, 1970, son of Robert J. O’Connell Jr. and Patricia Murphy O’Connell, in White Plains, New York. He spent the first part of his childhood at 1737 Meadow Lane, East Meadow, New York, developing a love of soccer and drums which he carried into adulthood. In 1977 the family moved from Long Island to Worcester, Massachusetts, where Robert Jr. accepted a position at the esteemed Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology. Bob attended public schools, with a brief foray into Catholic school. During his teens he developed a healthy disdain for authority and a love of punk music and muscle cars. After having taken photography courses at the Rhode Island School of Design, Bob’s mother Pat, dared him to apply to college.
In 1991 Bob began attending Massachusetts College of Art (now Art and Design). There he quickly established a reputation for fast walking, plain talking, and drinking copious amounts of coffee. At MassArt Bob met many of his lifelong friends, including Tricia Neumyer who, after a decade-long engagement, would become his loving wife in 2007. MassArt friends Joshua Gigantino, Jonathan Grove, and Christian O’Brien made up the wedding party and remained loyal and loving friends throughout Bob’s life and through his illness.
At MassArt Bob abandoned his RISD medium in favor of Video and Computer Animation. At that time at MassArt these fields, along with experimental music and performance, were included in The Studio for Interrelated Media major (SIM). Bob’s artworks, presentation techniques and production design were admired for their daring, innovation, humor and passion and earned him the nickname “SIM Bob.”
After MassArt these skills and interests led Bob to the new technology of streaming video for the internet. He was an essential collaborator in serval dot-com startups. As the internet industry changed at the turn of the millennium, Bob went back to bare bones Audio Visual techniques. Starting as an installer at a local A/V company Bob again won the admiration of his peers and rose from the ranks of the cable pullers and installers to the more heady and cutting edge epoch of design and programming of touch-panel control systems. Many interesting projects went through his hands, some of note being the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Boston Police Department, Ropes & Gray, Boston, Brandeis University, Boston University and The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His work was noted not only for it’s technical excellence, but it’s innovative design and ease of use. Bob felt strongly that anyone walking into one of his rooms should be able to control the whole environment with no special training. His designs were as elegant as they were functional and earned him great praise from clients, colleagues and his industry at large.
Bob’s passion for technology was met by his love of cooking, beer, and the New England Patriots. Lucky friends and family could look forward to Bob’s Christmas Sauce, an eight hour marinara which he would nurse obsessively and can for loved ones. Bob was a fixture at the James’s Gate Pub in Jamaica Plain where his outgoing personality and generosity of spirit won him the hearts of many staff and regulars. His favorite bar stool will be remembered fondly. Bob was also instrumental in the Gate’s adoption of the offerings of Slumbrew, The Somerville Brewing Company, owned by long time MassArt Friend Caitlyn Jewel and her brewer husband Jeff. Bob and his wife were honored this past winter when Jeff and Caitlyn dedicated this year’s brewing of their Imperial Cream Ale, “My Better Half”, to them.
In April of 2013 Bob was diagnosed with cancer, but he never slowed down or let despair overcome him. He faced every new challenge with humor, hope, wisecracks and inextinguishable strength. His fight was an inspiration to all who knew him, but came to a close on the evening of March 23, 2014, surrounded by friends and family at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is survived by his loving wife Tricia Neumyer of Jamaica Plain, his sister Kathleen Polanowicz and her husband John of Northboro, stepmother Marjorie Hastings O’Connell of Boylston, stepbrother Eric Hastings and his wife Megan of Boston, niece Emily and nephews Daniel, Parker, Griffin, and Aiden.
And the fight continues. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either The American Cancer Society or Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Donations can be made in Bob’s name and can be directed specifically to lung cancer. Bob’s life will be celebrated by family and friends at The James’s Gate Pub, 6 McBride St., Jamaica Plain, on Monday, March 31st, from 6PM through 12AM. A memorial service is to be scheduled in the near future. Bob will be laid to rest in the Fern Hill area of Forest Hills Cemetery.