Daniel Joseph O'Brien
July 16, 1925 - December 12, 2016

Major Daniel Joseph O'Brien, U.S Airforce, Retired, 91 of Kirkland, WA, died Monday, December 12, 2016. He was born July, 1925 in Washington, DC, the son of the late William C. and Theresa I. O'Brien. Daniel married fellow Purdue graduate Shirley Jean Rogers in June 1954, in South Bend, Indiana. He began his military career in the United States Army Air Corps, which later became the United States Air Force. Daniel retired with the rank of Major in 1966. In 1953, at McChord AFB in Tacoma, WA, he flew the Grumman Albatross Amphibian. Daniel used to practice right off Denny Park and then water taxi over to Sand Point NAS. He was based all over the world and flew Air-Sea Rescues in the Grumman SH16 and PBY. While in the F-111 SPO he represented the program to the Commander of USAF Europe and to the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. He was assigned to the FAA in the Supersonic Transport Development Office. His medals and decorations include: The Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Air Force Longevity Service Award with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation for Excellence with one Oak Leaf Cluster, United Nations Service Medal and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
Following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Daniel was employed as an engineer for Boeing. He worked in Boeing Preliminary Design, always on Military projects. During his 20 years at Boeing, he was an asset not only for his work, but in spotting creative and unique talent and mentoring those individuals.
He loved spending time with family and his grandchildren and enjoyed horses, fly fishing, reading, hiking with his dogs, singing, dancing, Irish music, traveling and flying planes and the great outdoors. He was a sportsman and very athletic, a prizewinning Boxer in the Air Force. During the 1980's and 90's he was a fixture on the Northwest Horse Show circuit, supporting his daughter Peggy in their shared passion for Equestrian endeavors. Dan loved to take fishing trips to British Columbia and the Queen Charlotte Islands. He was a lifelong learner, continuing to augment his great historical knowledge at the UW during his retirement. He was a beloved father, supportive of the individuality of his children and grandchildren. He published the history of his life and his roots in a book called 'Irish Saga, Horses to Airplanes', edited by Ellen Haas. In the Epilogue he wrote, "We never really know what's coming over the next hill, but we must be prepared to face the future with expectant calm, with the true knowledge that that is how our forbearers made it, from way back. We are all descendants of survivors. My only wish is that we really knew of them, and what they thought and did...I would not wish to have lived in any other era." He is survived by Shirley, his wife of 62 years; son Patrick O'Brien; four daughters, Sheila O'Brien and husband Steve Majeski, Susan Carey and husband Thomas, Sharon O'Brien and husband Christian Pointer, Margaret "Peggy" O'Brien Gould and husband Paul; six grandchildren, Liam, Daniel, James, Shae, Hannah and Quinn. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, December 19, 2016 at Holy Family Parish, 7045 120th Avenue NE, Kirkland, WA with a reception to follow.

A graveside committal with Military Honors will be held at 1:30 pm, Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent, WA 98042
Arrangements by Lifetime Celebrations by Washelli, 18224 103rd Avenue NE, Bothell, WA

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