Common Ground owner O'Guin, 50, dies

Bob O'Guin, younger, Burke Family Funeral Homes
A younger O'Guin. / Burke Family Funeral Homes.

Bob D. O’Guin Jr., who owned Common Ground in Arlington and Allston, died unexpectedly April 14 in Newton. He was 50.

A service to celebrate his life was held Monday, April 22, at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, 573 Washington St., Newton. An hour of visitation was held from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by a funeral Mass at noon.

He quickly paired his entrepreneurial passion with the food industry and established himself as a successful and well-respected restaurant owner, the Burke Family Funeral Homes reported.

Son to follow in footsteps

"The success of the Common Ground Bar & Grill in both Allston and Arlington is the result of Bob’s vision and hard work," the obituary said. "Visits to the pubs are enjoyed for the relaxing Irish ambiance, fun entertainment, comfort foods and Bob’s ongoing hospitality. Bob treated his staff like family, and one his favorite parts of the business was working alongside his son Ben, who plans to follow in his dad's footsteps.

"Bob’s greatest joy was being a father to his three children. He often told stories of all his wonderful family memories, including camping trips and time spent at Squam Lake in New Hampshire. The whole family enjoyed road trips and had their own version of carpool karaoke, belting out 'In the Jail House Now.'

"Bob was particularly proud of Bobbi’s soccer accomplishments, Ben’s academic success and Brendan’s future football career. Most of all he was happy to watch all of them working hard and enjoying life.

"Always the first person to reach out on holidays with a cheerful text or tell a joke, Bob will be missed by his friends who very much treasured his friendship."

He was the husband of Laurie, his wife of 20 years, and father to Bobbi, Ben and Brendan.

He was the son of Bob O’Guin and Bernadette O’Guin (deceased); sibling of Mark Branch, Venita Fortune, Jude Branch and his wife, Laura, and Donna Ladd. Also survived by nieces and nephews and his friends Jerry Quinn, John McClure and Keith Briand.

Bob was born on July 21, 1968, in Dallas, Texas, attended high school at Northern Burlington County Regional High School, in Columbus, N.J., in 1987, and graduated from Bentley University in Waltham in 1991 with a degree in international business and marketing.

Fund-raiser

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the O'Guin Education Fund (made payable to Laurie O'Guin, c/o Rockland Trust 40 Austin St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460), or to GoFundMe.