Name: Visitation for RICHARD O'DONNELL
Start: 2019-11-25T22:00:00.000Z
End: 2019-11-26T00:00:00.000Z
Location: McMillan-Small Funeral Home & Crematory

Richard P. O'Donnell (Age 87)
Passed away on Thursday, November 21, 2019 in Myrtle Beach, SC.He was a former senior analyst with the National Security Agency. He was born on February 27, 1932 in Washington, DC and is the son of the late John J. and Anne Huntington O'Donnell.Following three years of service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he attended George Washington University and joined the NSA. His agency career spanned three decades during the height of the Cold War period and included such varied assignments as serving two years on the staff of the Director of Central Intelligence, Senior Operations Office in the National Security Operations Center and Deputy Chief of the Office of International and Economic Affairs. He retired from the NSA in 1987 after 34 years of federal service. In the 1960s-70s, he was an award-winning playwright whose work was performed in professional regional and community theatre and several public radio and area television productions. He was a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.In retirement, he was a volunteer with the America Cancer Society and the Senior Connection of Montgomery County, Maryland. He was a member of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic Church where he was a Eucharistic Minister and served in their Pastoral Care Program at Suburban Hospital in Montgomery County, Maryland.He was predeceased by his wife, Rosemarie O'Donnell; and brothers, Ray O'Donnell, and Joe O'Donnell and wife, Joanne.He is survived by his daughters, Rosanne Grolman and husband, Dave, and Kathleen McCormick and husband, Tim; son, Christopher O'Donnell and wife Nicole; grandchildren, Colleen, Christina, Meghan, and Sean; a great-granddaughter, Agnes; and many nieces and nephews.The family will receive friends at McMillan-Small Funeral Home on Monday, November 25, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Andrew Catholic Church on Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 11 a.m. A graveside service will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, MD on Thursday, December 5, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.An online guestbook is available at www.msfh.net.

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Published by The Washington Post on Nov. 24, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for RICHARD O'DONNELL

1 Entry

November 29, 2019

Richard was a wonderful uncle and Godfather to me. He was always so interested in everything in my life and so encouraging of all my endeavors. It was beautiful to see how devoted he was to his beautiful wife -- Aunt Rose. None of us were aware of his senior status at NSA and of all the extremely important work he was involved with during his career as he could not speak about his job. It was beautiful to see how he was loved and so well taken care of during his final years by his loving children. May he truly rest in Peace. Mary Dellatorre

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Memorial Events
for RICHARD O'DONNELL

Nov

25

Visitation

5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

McMillan-Small Funeral Home & Crematory

910 67th Ave North P.O. Box 7506, Corner of 67th Ave. And Bypass 17, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

Nov

26

Mass of Christian Burial

11:00 a.m.

St. Andrew Catholic Church

SC

Dec

5

Graveside service

10:30 a.m.

Gate of Heaven Cemetery

Silver Spring, MD

Funeral services provided by:

McMillan-Small Funeral Home & Crematory

910 67th Ave North P.O. Box 7506, Corner of 67th Ave. And Bypass 17, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

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