David Francis O'Brien

David Francis O'Brien The good Lord gave David F. O'Brien 99 years on this planet, outliving all his relatives and many of his friends. Dave died peacefully on July 20th. Born January 25, 1913 in Kansas City, Missouri, Dave grew up in Keokuk, Iowa, attended St. Louis University and Creighton University, and studied to be a Jesuit priest for 13 years. Dave had B.A. degrees in Latin and Greek; Masters degrees in Physics, Mathematics, Philosophy and Psychology; a doctorate in Law; and 3 years of post-graduate studies in Theology. Dave taught Math at Rockhurst High and Physics at Rockhurst College in Missouri and coached JV football, basketball and baseball at Rockhurst High School. Dave married Frances Jelinek on September 1, 1947 in Omaha, Nebraska and shortly thereafter moved to California in 1948. In California, Dave and his family lived in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Lakewood and Tustin. He had a 34 year work history with Hughes Aircraft Company, retiring in 1989 after applying his legal skills to government contracts. Dave was a licensed attorney and patent attorney; past Chairman of UCLA Extension's Contracts and Curriculum Committee and past National Education Director of the National Contracts Management Association. Post retirement, Dave had an active consulting practice and traveled with his wife. He attributed his longevity to a super active exercise program, no smoking, minimal alcohol, and healthy eating (except for his craze for ice cream). Having won numerous awards with Toastmasters, Dave was a talker and enjoyed the lecture circuit, both professionally and for fun. He was a big, bright, good natured man; a Brainiac of a man with all his education; loved to travel; loved to read; and loved to be around lots of people. Dave went out of his way to meet people and people loved to talk with him. Dave is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 65 years, Fran, sons David and Roger, and daughter Teresa Blair. Dave's son Frank died of lung cancer in 2007. Dave is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter. Funeral mass is on Thursday, July 26th at 11:00 AM at St. John Neumann Catholic church in Irvine. Interment will follow at Holy Sepulcher cemetery in Orange.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Francis O'Brien, please visit our flower store.