Charles A. O’Donnell Jr., 79, of Heatherfield Court, Kilmarnock died on Saturday, November 26, 2011 with his wife Joye and his children Kevin, Karen and David and daughter-in law Tamara at his side. He had been suffering from Congestive Heart Failure for the past year.
Mr. O’Donnell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 9, 1932, the son of the late Charles A. and Laura D. O’Donnell. He graduated from Central High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design from Philadelphia College of Art in 1953. He married his wife, Joye, on January 2, 1954 in Penn Valley, Penn. After serving two years in the Army, he returned to Pennsylvania and began his career in Industrial Design. While in Pennsylvania, he designed radio and television products for Philco Corporation and RCA. He was active in the interior design of General Electric’s manned space effort and their underwater station in the Bahamas and designed General Electric’s space capsule exhibit displayed at the World’s Fair on Long Island. He also published articles on designing for man in space.
In 1977, the family moved to Reston, Virginia where he consulted in Naval Ship Design until retiring in 1997. He and Joye moved to the Northern Neck of Virginia where they continued sailing and get-togethers with their sailing friends. He also enjoyed woodturning, visiting his children, grandchildren and nieces. He played the penny whistle, looked forward to socializing with his neighbors on Ball’s Creek and in Heatherfield and found great companionship at the Friend’s Meeting at Westminster Canterbury.
Mr. O’Donnell is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joye Kavanagh O’Donnell, his sons and their families, Kevin and wife Tamara of Ashland, Ma., David and wife, Amy, grandchildren, Amy and Finnegan of Alexandria, Va. and his daughter, Karen Juengst and husband, Thomas and grandsons Brendon and Christopher of York Haven, Pa. In addition, he is survived by his three nieces, Carol Marshall, Caren Bohan and Phyllis Pischke and their families.
A Memorial Service at Currie Funeral Home will take place at a later date.
He was very creative, a great storyteller and a kind and gentle philosophical man. Charlie will be missed by all who knew him.