David O'Dea

Madison - Family legend has it that when David Edward O'Dea was born February 7, 1920 at the family home on Park St. he was small enough to fit in a cigar box. He was the youngest of seven siblings, three boys and four girls, born to Thomas Aquinas O'Dea and his wife, the former Mary Margaret Gombert. The tiny premature infant lived for 95 more years, dying on August 13, 2015.

David attended Madison Catholic Schools - St. Raphael's, Sacred Heart Academy and Edgewood High School. He left Edgewood short a credit, but was awarded his diploma by the school in 2001, in recognition of his life long learning.

Dorothy Mary Hughes lived in the neighborhood, on nearby Olin Avenue, when she and David met. They fell in love but had to wait four long years for David to come home from his tour of duty during World War II to marry.

David served in the Army from November of 1941 to September of 1946. He served in occupied Iceland and trained in the British Isles. He became an Infantry Messenger (radio operator) for Rifle Company I, 11th Infantry, 5th Division of the 3rd Army. He was in the Battle of the Bulge, and his campaigns included Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He was later awarded the Bronze Star, the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed forces, given for heroic or meritorious service. After the war David became a member of the US Air Force (civilian) Ground Observer Corps, scanning the skies for enemy aircraft from the top of the Belmont Hotel.

David returned to the United States in September of 1945 and he and his beloved Dorothy married on November 20 of that year, a union that lasted 65 years. They had three children, Colleen Patricia, Kathleen Maureen, and Thomas Aquinas.

David had several jobs over the years, mostly with the City of Madison. He worked for the Forestry Department, Street Department, at the Zoo, as a Custodian at Lapham and Dudgeon Schools, and for many years for the Department of Housing and Community Development.

He belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1318, The South Side Men's and Women's Club, Knights of Columbus, South Side Hockey Association and the Blue Blazers of the Wisconsin Campers Association. He enjoyed music and played the piano, organ and recorder and sang in the St. James Choir. From childhood he was a member of St. Raphael's Parish and later joined St. James Parish (now Good Shepherd Parish.)

David developed Alzheimer's Disease and moved to St. Mary's Care Center nearly five years ago, where the loving and caring staff became a second family for him. He contributed to Alzheimer's research while at St. Mary's by participating in the "Music and Memory" program. We wish to thank everyone at the Care Center for making his final years so happy and comfortable.

David was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, his parents, his siblings Thomas, William, Catherine (Hartman), Elizabeth (Vandervest), Eleanor (Dennerlein), and Mary, his son Thomas and granddaughter Christine Potter. His brothers, Tom, age 19, and Bill, age 16 died in 1930, drowning together in Lake Wingra after rescuing 10 year old David. To this day, we honor them and thank them for their sacrifice.

David is survived by his daughters, Colleen (Dennis) Potter, Kathleen, granddaughters Jamie O'Dea and Michelle Potter, grandsons Ryan, Patrick (Lindsay James), and David O'Dea, and great grandchildren Jamila, Avery, Austin and Asher O'Dea, and BreeAnna Bushey.

A visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at GOOD SHEPHERD PARISH AT ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1128 St. James Court, Madison, with Msgr. Thomas Baxter presiding. Burial will be held at Sunset Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to St. Mary's Care Center, 3401 Maple Grove Drive, Madison, WI 53719, or the Alzheimer's Association.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434