Tommy Overton O'Brien

Tommy Overton O’Brien, 70, passed Monday, November 2nd, in Abilene. His Celebration of Life for family and close friends will be held Friday, November 6th, at 2:00 pm in the Café of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church led by Jeff Reid. Tommy was born in Lubbock to Al and Jo O’Brien on February 20, 1950, and later joined by his first friend, his sister Cinda. He achieved his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Baylor and graduate degree in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech to become a Professional Engineer. While attending Baylor, Tommy met Susan Means whom he married in Lawton, OK on May 17, 1974. He was a professional consultant with various civil engineering firms in Denver, CO and throughout Texas. Following his consultant work, Tommy took the reins from his father at White River Municipal Water District. Afterward, he worked for the City of Abilene as Director – and eventually Executive Director – of Water Utilities for the past 16 years. While in Abilene, Tommy’s selection to the Brazos G Regional Water Planning Group highlighted his tenure helping champion future water needs. Tommy was ordained as a deacon and served honorably in his home churches. Tommy’s life was filled with the love and laughter of his family. Tommy’s wife, his sons, and their wives are grateful Tommy left such a legacy as a father and grandfather. One of his greatest joys was as their TommyO, PopO, or Pop Pop. Tommy is survived by his wife, Susan, sons Eric and Adam, their wives Melissa and Mallory, his grandchildren, Charlie, Henry, Quinn, Cole, and Asher, his sister and brother-in-law, Cinda and Preston Givens of Spur, and his uncle and aunt, Sammy and Judy Ribble of Lubbock. In lieu of flowers, Tommy’s family requests donations in his name to: Water4.org (for his love of all things water), alz.org (in memory of his mother), or SpecialOlympics.org (for his loving support of his cousin, Shelly).