Shuffleboard Club member celebrates 95 years

Jack O’Brien was born and raised 95 years ago in Iowa. He was drafted by the U.S. Army during the Korean War and served 15 months in Korea, assigned to the Oklahoma National Guard unit. Once home, he was selected to participate in a ticker tape parade down Fifth Avenue in New York City, and returned the Oklahoma National Guard colors to the United States. O’Brien used the GI Bill to attend the University of Iowa and graduated with a mechanical engineering degree. He was hired by Douglas Aircraft, which brought him to Long Beach, where he met his wife, Shirley. They were married for 56 years and had five children before she passed away from Alzheimer’s. O’Brien has nine grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one more on the way.

He started his new life in Leisure World six years ago. He walks three to four miles a day, and is a member of the cribbage, bocce ball and shuffleboard clubs. O’Brien has been a shuffleboard team captain for several years and served on the board as a captain’s representative. He enjoys shuffleboard’s social events and all the great friends he has made during the club’s growth. He plans on enjoying many more years of shuffleboard and making new friends.

The next general Shuffleboard Club meeting is Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. in Clubhouse 1. Members should attend for all the latest information. Captains will hand out the fall league schedules. Schedules will also be posted on Team-Reach and the bulletin boards at the Courts building.

Shuffleboard fall league play will get underway the week of Sept. 23. Open play is on Mondays, beginning at 9 a.m. and training sessions are on Thursdays at 9 a.m.

—Karen Mendon

Jack O'Brien

Roger Bennett