Aidan James O'Brien

Let this page serve to honor and memorialize our dear friend Aidan James O’Brien. Aidan was born on March 3, 2003, and recently passed away on February 18, 2025. Though he was taken suddenly from his family, friends, and community, it is his life that is remarkable and impactful. From a young age, Aidan was empathic to others, was passionate about nature, and showed joy in the teamwork of sports and marimba. He was inquisitive, thoughtful, and a genuine friend to many. He mentored younger students in soccer, cross-country, science, and math. He will be known for his generosity of spirit, uproarious laughter, love and electric propensity for board, card, and online games, and general goofiness. Raised on the South Whidbey trails, parks, and campsites, Aidan believed in ecology, conservancy, and the value of natural spaces. He could be found taking a quiet moment watching the sunset, the water, or studying the trees around him. Aidan most loved simple trips with family and friends to ski, hike, run, or paddleboard. These trips always included some new adventure and a fun experience to share. Like his family, Aidan valued being in communion with friends, laughing, teasing, or challenging one another. This continued even as collegiate study required more of the students. Whether they were besting each other in online games or on the trails, there was energy and nonsense in these longtime friendships. The best word to describe Aiden while playing games with or against him was intense, humorously intense. He loved to amusingly torment his opponent as he played against them. Often the instigator, Aidan, loved to gently provoke and then watch the tomfoolery unfold. The simple things in life were always the most meaningful to Aidan: the firepit discussions, cracking crab at the picnic table, and drinking tea while reading a book. Most recently, while studying Biochemistry at the University of Washington, Aidan continued to explore philosophy to understand humanity and the natural world. He was a mentor in the Free Radical Club, an undergraduate Chemistry Club at UW. Last spring, he presented and published a paper entitled Self-Assembling Monolayer Optimization for Improving Perovskite Solar Cell Device Performance. He is survived by Lori, Bob, Ian, and the highly adored Ozzy. Please share your stories that capture all parts of Aidan’s personality and the interactions you have had over the years. There is so much to share about this wonderful old soul. Please let your story connect with the others who loved Aidan. Thank you for contributing and keeping the O’Briens in your thoughts Jennifer Gandarias