Charles Richard “Dick” O’Rourke, (81),

Charles Richard “Dick” O’Rourke (81) passed away on July 4, 2024 at his home in Lusby, Maryland with his wife Patricia at his side. He battled pulmonary issues during his last years and showed courage by facing life’s challenges with a smile. Despite his pain, Dick came out a hero and stayed strong until the end. Working outside in the garden and driving/customizing his 1983 Mustang were among his favorite passions.

Dick met Patricia in 2006 while she was having breakfast with family members at a local restaurant. They hit it off and soon started dating, and were married in Kona, Hawaii on December 4, 2008.  They were happily married for 16 years, splitting their time between their homes in Lusby, Maryland and Naples, Florida, being snowbirds in the winter.

Dick was born on April 27, 1943 in Eugene, Oregon. He attended Eugene High School and the University of Oregon and was part of the University’s ROTC program. He left college in 1963 to serve in Vietnam and during the same time period married his first wife and together had 6 children.

Dick was a dedicated military veteran and government employee for approximately 45 years. While in the Navy, he was a parachute rigger on aircraft carriers and taught water survival. He also enjoyed boxing for most of his Naval career. Later, as a government employee, he was instrumental in the development of the Molle System, which is safety equipment that is incorporated into military vests, backpacks, and suspension systems. He also served in Iraq and Afghanistan while continuing to develop safety equipment, and due to government regulations that prohibited civilians from working in the field with active Marines, he was enlisted into the Marine Corps and worked simultaneously as a government employee and a Marine. Dick stated that enlisting in the Marines was one of his proudest moments.

Dick was predeceased by his two brothers Terry O’Rourke and Craig Rice and is survived by one sister, Barbara Ullom of Winston, Oregon and his devoted wife, Patricia.

Dick is also survived by six children from his first marriage: Charles O’Rourke and Ryan O’Rourke of Nampa, Idaho; Patrick O’Rourke, Michael O’Rourke, and Erin O’Rourke of Jacksonville, Florida; and  Megan O’Rourke of Grants Pass, Oregon and their spouses, 17 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Dick also has two stepdaughters with Patricia, Adrianne Schmidt and Carin Read of Lusby, Maryland, their spouses, 11 additional grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. Family was very important to Dick, and he loved them all.

Dick will be honored at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Solomons, Maryland with a Mass of Christian Burial on July 30^th at 11:00 am followed by his interment in the church cemetery.