Donald Alan Dobbs

Donald Alan Dobbs

August 10, 1960 - July 3, 2023

Donald Alan Dobbs died July 3, 2023, after a short illness at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa. He was 62 years old.

Don was born August 10, 1960, in Enid, the only child of Donald Gene and Iris Jean (née McClain) Dobbs. He grew up in Medford, working in the family television sales and service store, and at the local movie theater as a projectionist. He graduated from Medford High School in 1978, and went to Northern Oklahoma College where he played guitar in the Roustabouts. After graduating from NOC, he moved to Dallas, working for Unitel on mobile and large-scale remote television broadcasts.

Don met Brenda Steichen while they were both students at NOC. They were married August 6, 1988. They moved to Stillwater, where he completed his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and worked as director of engineering for Oklahoma State Television.

They welcomed their son, Ethan, December 21, 1993. They moved to Tulsa in 1995, and Don took the position of director of engineering for KOTV-Channel 6.

In 2002, Don and family moved to the Fort Worth area, where he served as director of engineering for CBS and NBC stations. The family returned to Tulsa in 2015 when Don accepted the director of engineering position at KJRH-Channel 2.

Don was a dedicated leader of the local Society of Broadcast Engineers and Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers chapters.

Continuing his lifelong passion for rock and roll music, Don was a devoted member of the Stoneleighs, a Dallas-area Rolling Stones tribute band.

A memorial service was held July 7 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Tonkawa. Final interment is at Tonkawa IOOF Cemetery.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda, of Tulsa; and son, Ethan, of Houston. We will miss his quick wit, his passion for current events, and his annoyed willingness to help us with our television remotes.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to NOC Steichen Family Music Scholarship.