Walker Joseph O'Brien

Walker Joseph “Joe” O’Brien, aged 31, passed away on February 14th, 2026.

Joe was born in Summit, NJ on December 8th, 1994. Growing up in North Carolina, Joe was known for his appetite for learning as he questioned the world around him. He spent his childhood surrounded by his parents, siblings and his large family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, developing deep relationships and making each moment count. Joe approached all his relationships with family and friends with love and endless generosity. His love of the great outdoors started young with his time in the Boy Scouts, as he earned the rank of Eagle.

Joe earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Boston University. He spent several years in Boston working in different areas of research, where he prided himself on his ability to fix anything. During his time in Boston, he built deep relationships with new friends and was able to foster his love of the outdoors with free time spent in the mountains. Joe loved exploring the mountains of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, where he felt truly at home. Joe recently moved to Salt Lake City, UT to work at L3 Harris as a PCB and design engineer. He was able to view the mountains every morning and spent weekends driving his truck to the next trail to explore.

Joe is preceded in death by his father, Lawrence Patrick O’Brien and several grandparents who shaped his life, especially Grandad Walker and Grandma “O”. He is survived by his parents, Lea Anne O’Brien and Robert Hertzog; his grandmother, Anna Mae Walker; his siblings, Mackenzie O’Brien Grady, Patrick O’Brien, Marisa Hertzog Capalbo,and Alex Hertzog and by his nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle Joe. In honoring his memory, we invite you to spend time in reflection the next time you are in the mountains.

A celebration of life will be held this summer, with the date to be announced, where his friends and family can gather to celebrate the amazing impact that Joe made on our lives.