Harold Eugene O'Brien's Obituary
Gene O’Brien
July 1, 1926-May 12, 2022
Harold Eugene O’Brien was a quiet man, who made this world a better place by being devoted to God, family, and country. Whenever called upon to do the right thing… he was that person.
“Genie” to his family, was born at home in Tulsa three years before the Great Depression. He was homeschooled by his mother until second grade. He loved living on their 13-acre spread with numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. They had chickens, a milk cow, pigs, a large vegetable garden, a vineyard, and fruit trees. Later his dad was appointed to be the Warden at the state prison in Granite, OK so they moved and Gene spent most of his high school years there.
One summer day a trustee at the prison showed Gene how to make and walk on tall stilts. His first attempt had him climbing up on the roof of their shed in order to get on the stilts. To his surprise (and the trustees) he was a natural and began walking around the yard. Later he wondered if the trustee was just trying to kill the warden’s son.
Gene took pride in driving his sister to singing lessons, which helped propel her to becoming Miss Oklahoma and a Miss America finalist in the 1950s. His mother made Louise’s dress and she sang “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” for the talent competition. The O’Brien clan was all very proud.
Eventually the family moved back to Tulsa where Gene graduated from Marquette High School. Soon after he received his draft notice and was sent off for basic training. His father took him to the bus station, shook his hand, and gave him a shaving kit. It was the first time he’d ever seen his stern dad cry. His service in World War II took him to Europe, the Philippines and Japan. He was stunned with what he saw; the destruction of Europe and the starvation of its people, but miraculously he saw no active combat. He reflected on his fate in life: If he’d been born just one day earlier, his draft notice would have been such that he would have shipped out months earlier and he would have seen duty at the Battle of the Bulge. Fortunately, he returned safely to Tulsa after two years and one day.
Gene met Blanche Stephens at square dance lessons. They fell in love and Gene knew immediately she was the one. They married in January 1951 and soon started a family. They relocated to Oklahoma City where Gene worked as a credit manager for Republic Supply Co. For the next 25 years Gene and Blanche were blessed with the laughter, drama and hormones of a family of five healthy daughters, all sharing one bathroom! Perhaps that was what spurred Gene to teach himself to remodel the old family home. On his lunch hour he would read instruction manuals at the library to teach himself on every aspect of home improvement. Over the years he completely remodeled their home, from top to bottom. A second bathroom was one of his first projects.
The O’Briens were very active parishioners at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. All of the girls graduated from John Carroll and McGuinness High School. Over the years Gene served as an usher, Eucharistic Minister, played on the church softball team and volunteered at the Christmas tree lot. It was a close-knit community of families that both needed and gave help to those in need.
Gene encouraged his daughters to be self sufficient in many unique ways. Christmas gifts included stilts of varying heights, a unicycle and car batteries. The unicycle had been something Gene always wanted, and he mastered it with style. It was not unusual to see him riding up and down busy 30th street and eventually around the block by the Cathedral. His tall stilts became legendary around the neighborhood. He even taught himself to drop one and hop around until Lori would hoist the stilt back up to him. Then he’d glide back down to earth and step gracefully onto the yard amidst shrieks and applause.
He was a “girl dad” who coached many softball teams and drove them to games in the back of his ’51 black pickup. For years teammates from John Carroll laughed as they reminisced about the silly songs and fun times they shared in the back of Mr. O’Brien’s old truck.
Gene was a devoted family man whose wife Blanche died in a car accident when she was 46 and he was 50. They had just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Suddenly he was a widower, all alone, trying to raise two teenage daughters. Life changed forever in a flash.
Now, for perhaps the first time in his life, Gene needed help from his community. He began attending the Beginning Experience meetings for those experiencing loss. It was there he met Judith Tate and they fell in love. Gene and Judith married in June 1979 and lived happily for nearly 40 years. They moved to a quiet wooded neighborhood where Gene continued his love of woodworking and gardening. He became a master gardener and a skilled woodworker, and eventually held a patent with one of his creations. Together Gene and Judith co-wrote several books. Gene loved being Judith’s caregiver once she became wheelchair-bound. He made a portable ramp and jury-rigged a contraption for their van to carry her wheelchair to her many poetry readings. Judith was a gifted counselor, writer and poet.
They spent many wonderful years growing old together and watching grandchildren and great grandchildren enter this world. Gene handmade numerous wooden blocks, toy trains and a cradle to give away to his grandchildren.
Soon they downsized and moved to St. Ann's in Oklahoma City. At St. Ann’s, Gene was in high demand to help other residents with any projects and repairs they needed. After a few years they moved Tulsa’s Montereau Retirement Community where they each lived out their lives. Although Gene suffered with Alzheimer’s Disease for many years, the staff at Montereau was amazed with his sweet demeanor, strong hands and strength of heart.
Gene is survived by Colette and Paul Daley, Joan and Dave Hubble, Ann and Earl Frawner, Kathleen and Tom O’Connor, and Lori and Eric Bingham. Grandchildren include Brendan Daley (Carrie Gonella), Sean Daley (Amanda), Lindsey Hubble Biggs (Ryan), Kelsey Hubble-Dowdell (Thomas), Cecelia and Faith O’Connor, Jamie and Lesley Bingham. Great-grandchildren include Bayes and Leeds Gonella-Daley, Keegan and Astrid Daley, Carson Biggs, Harriet and Sidney Dowdell.
Funeral Services will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Oklahoma City at 10 am on Thursday, July 7. A reception will follow at the Connor Center.
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