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Michael O'Hagan Obituary
Michael James O'Hagan
December 5, 1937 - May 24, 2023
Michael James O'Hagan, born December 5, 1937 in Sherman, TX, class of Kilgore High School '55, passed away in his sleep in British Columbia, Canada on May 24, 2023 after a long illness.
Michael obtained double major degrees in Physics and Mathematics with an Economics Minor from Southern Methodist University in Texas and earned his Master of Science and PhD at Stanford. In their 30's, he and his brother Pat were Academic Dean and Dean of Men, respectively, at the University of Dallas. He worked for Texas Instruments in Dallas and several companies in California before he retired to a beautiful spot overlooking the Pacific in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada.
He is survived by his wife Brenda James O'Hagan; daughters Leslie O'Hagan of Brentwood Bay, B.C., and Kelly Neff of Lawrence, KS; Nancy Christiansen, the mother of his 3 children; brothers Pat of Kyle, TX; Joe of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; and Bob of Campbell, CA; and his sister Dotty Herndon of Garland, TX. He also has one granddaughter, three grandsons, a great-granddaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son Stephen Patrick O'Hagan, his sister Janie O'Hagan, and his parents John and Martha O'Hagan.
An accomplished bon vivant, Michael was a kind, calm and polite Texas gentleman with a wide range of scientific and technological information held in a mind envied by all.
He was an adventurer who played the cello and piano. An athlete in younger years, Mike was a champion swimmer, lifeguard, diver, and runner, who loved hang gliding until he suffered an injured knee on landing.
He had his pilot's license and built his glider with the help of Astronaut Gordo Cooper in Dallas. After that he thought he deserved a PhD in riveting.
Mentor to all, he connected many people he knew to projects that became their careers.
When Ronald Reagan was President in the 1980's, Michael served on the U.S. Defense Science Board under Admiral Isaac Kid, Jr where he replaced Dr George Heilmeier, the former head of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). This group invented the Star Wars Space Defense project. He had many illustrious teammates on the Defense Science Board such as Joe Ravenis, Col. Frank Hines, Admiral Bobby Ray Inman, former head of NSA (National Security Agency) & Deputy Director of the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). In 1949-50 Admiral Inman had been Michael's history teacher at Longview Junior High in Texas.
Of all his accomplishments Michael was most proud of his discovery of the mathematical solution that allowed architect Philip Johnson to build the stained glass spiral dome for Thanksgiving Square in downtown Dallas.
When he heard of the rising incidence of TB on the island of Madeira, Michael invented an early detection device and donated the patent to the Government of Portugal.
The Crombomulator Michael named and invented is still under his bed… Nobody knows what it does. And by the way, the editor for his PhD thesis told us she had to correct 250 spelling mistakes.
Over 25 years ago, he founded a weekly lunch meeting of his favorite scientists, technologists, and jolly good people - the LJBESST Group (LaJolla Bait Eating Sushi Slurping Technologists) which, thankfully, is to be renamed In his honour.
Donations in memory of Michael James O'Hagan to the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation, Port Moody, BC, would be gratefully accepted. https://erhf.ca/
December 5, 1937 - May 24, 2023
Michael James O'Hagan, born December 5, 1937 in Sherman, TX, class of Kilgore High School '55, passed away in his sleep in British Columbia, Canada on May 24, 2023 after a long illness.
Michael obtained double major degrees in Physics and Mathematics with an Economics Minor from Southern Methodist University in Texas and earned his Master of Science and PhD at Stanford. In their 30's, he and his brother Pat were Academic Dean and Dean of Men, respectively, at the University of Dallas. He worked for Texas Instruments in Dallas and several companies in California before he retired to a beautiful spot overlooking the Pacific in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada.
He is survived by his wife Brenda James O'Hagan; daughters Leslie O'Hagan of Brentwood Bay, B.C., and Kelly Neff of Lawrence, KS; Nancy Christiansen, the mother of his 3 children; brothers Pat of Kyle, TX; Joe of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; and Bob of Campbell, CA; and his sister Dotty Herndon of Garland, TX. He also has one granddaughter, three grandsons, a great-granddaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son Stephen Patrick O'Hagan, his sister Janie O'Hagan, and his parents John and Martha O'Hagan.
An accomplished bon vivant, Michael was a kind, calm and polite Texas gentleman with a wide range of scientific and technological information held in a mind envied by all.
He was an adventurer who played the cello and piano. An athlete in younger years, Mike was a champion swimmer, lifeguard, diver, and runner, who loved hang gliding until he suffered an injured knee on landing.
He had his pilot's license and built his glider with the help of Astronaut Gordo Cooper in Dallas. After that he thought he deserved a PhD in riveting.
Mentor to all, he connected many people he knew to projects that became their careers.
When Ronald Reagan was President in the 1980's, Michael served on the U.S. Defense Science Board under Admiral Isaac Kid, Jr where he replaced Dr George Heilmeier, the former head of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). This group invented the Star Wars Space Defense project. He had many illustrious teammates on the Defense Science Board such as Joe Ravenis, Col. Frank Hines, Admiral Bobby Ray Inman, former head of NSA (National Security Agency) & Deputy Director of the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). In 1949-50 Admiral Inman had been Michael's history teacher at Longview Junior High in Texas.
Of all his accomplishments Michael was most proud of his discovery of the mathematical solution that allowed architect Philip Johnson to build the stained glass spiral dome for Thanksgiving Square in downtown Dallas.
When he heard of the rising incidence of TB on the island of Madeira, Michael invented an early detection device and donated the patent to the Government of Portugal.
The Crombomulator Michael named and invented is still under his bed… Nobody knows what it does. And by the way, the editor for his PhD thesis told us she had to correct 250 spelling mistakes.
Over 25 years ago, he founded a weekly lunch meeting of his favorite scientists, technologists, and jolly good people - the LJBESST Group (LaJolla Bait Eating Sushi Slurping Technologists) which, thankfully, is to be renamed In his honour.
Donations in memory of Michael James O'Hagan to the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation, Port Moody, BC, would be gratefully accepted. https://erhf.ca/
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by The Tri-City News on Aug. 3, 2023.
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