“Heartbreaking”: Conan O’Brien’s Parents Pass Away Just 3 Days Apart After 66 Years Together

Fans of renowned comedian Conan O’Brien shared his condolences after receiving the bittersweet news of the late-night host’s parentspassing away. 

Despite the natural sadness that accompanies these situations, they were nevertheless moved by how they died: Peacefully and within three days of each other.

Dr. Thomas O’Brien, aged 95, and his wife, Ruth Reardon O’Brien, aged 92, died of natural causes, with the former passing away last Monday (December 9) and his wife following him on Thursday (December 12).

Conan reflected on his father’s passing, sharing fond memories of his father’s contagious laughter, especially when watching Peter Sellers’ Pink Panther movies. 

“I’ve never heard anyone laugh as loudly as my dad did in those moments,” Conan reminisced. “He was frequently the funniest person in any room, and when he laughed, his entire body shook as if he were hugging himself.”

Conan O’Brien’s parents passed away after 66 years together; they reportedly went peacefully and within three days of each other

Image credits: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty

The couple had been married for 66 years, raising six children, including the now 61-year-old Conan.

Dr. O’Brien, born in January 1929, was a physician and expert in antimicrobial drug resistance research. He became the first director of the associated division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and worked as an associate professor at Harvard Medical School for most of his life, retiring in 2019.

“Science has said there’s no such thing as perpetual motion, but my father was proof that that was wrong,” Conan stated. “My father was in constant motion. And he was interested in everything — absolutely everything.”

Image credits: Bell O’dea Funeral Home

The comedian reflected on his father’s endless curiosity, explaining how he always looked to “go everywhere, meet everybody, see everything, taste everything.”

“I’ve never met anyone like him, and he happens to be my father. If I met him randomly in a hotel lobby, I’d think, ‘Who the hell is this guy? He’s the most interesting person I’ve ever met.'” Conan said.

The couple left behind six children and nine grandchildren, two of which belong to Conan and his wife, Liza

Image credits: iRelaunch

Conan’s mother, Ruth O’Brien, was a legal pioneer who attended Yale Law School, becoming one of only four women in her class. She later became a law clerk for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and went on to practice real estate law at Ropes & Gray in Boston.

In 1978, she became the firm’s second-ever female partner, an achievement considered groundbreaking at the time. In 2017, Ruth received the iRelaunch Pioneering Relauncher Award.

Image credits: iRelaunch

Ruth and Thomas were married in 1958 after meeting through Ruth’s brothers, who were classmates with Thomas. They reportedly maintained a healthy and loving relationship and provided a stable and happy home for their six children—Conan, Justin, Neal, Luke, Kate, and Jane—to grow up in.

Image credits: reddit

They left behind nine grandchildren, two of which belong to Conan and his wife Liza Powel: 21-year-old Neve and 19-year-old Beckett.

A funeral mass for the couple is expected to be held next Wednesday (December 18) in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

“They didn’t want to be without each other.” Netizens shared their condolences with the comedian, sympathizing with his pain

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