David Michael "Mike" O'Brian left this life on December 9, 2022, at the age of 79. Mike was a loving husband, father, and granddad who was born on September 20, 1943 to Tom and Virginia "Dimmie" O'Brian, in Brookfield, Missouri. He was the oldest of four boys -- Tim (deceased), Frank, and Doug.

At seventeen years old, Mike enlisted in the Air Force, serving for a four-year span that included the construction of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the Gulf of Tonkin confrontation. During his Air Force tour, he was stationed in Denver for training in electronics, then moved on to Maine to service B-52 bombers. He summarized his Maine experience as: "COLD". After finishing his hitch in October of 1964, he determined that he would drive back to the sunny skies of Colorado to begin his civilian life.

At this point, however, fate intervened. His car broke down in Youngstown, Ohio, where he wound up staying for the next four years, and where he made two important connections. The first was with theater -- he stage managed many shows for the Youngstown Playhouse and found a milieu where he fit in and was happy. The second was with Elberta "Bertie" Harris, whom he would marry in 1967, finally moving to Colorado for good in 1968.

Mike and Bertie were married for 55 years. Together, they raised two children in Aurora, Colorado: Paul (born 1970) and Jennifer (born 1977.) Each of them carries parts of Mike forward. For Paul, it's theater, an affinity with computers and technology, enjoyment of science fiction, and the ability to endlessly and sometimes tediously quote lines from Monty Python and Mel Brooks. For Jenny, it's an appreciation of a good martini, a fondness for The New Yorker magazine, and a love of bookstores and libraries. Both of them inherited from Mike a conviction that they are always right. (We're still working on that one.)

Mike adored his grandchildren. He had three: Dante Wilson (son of Paul O'Brian and Laura Wilson), Phoebe Koh, and Hannah Koh (daughters of Jenny O'Brian and Ryan Koh.) He took enormous pride in them, and would narrate their accomplishments to friends, family, and passers by. He loved hearing Dante play the cello, seeing Phoebe perform in plays, and listening to Hannah relate her many adventures during their Zoom calls.

A staunch provider, Mike did all he could to support his family. After making his way through a number of different professional identities -- everything from salesman to billing manager to seafood deliveryman -- Mike found his career home in information technology. Though he never went to college, Mike taught himself how to code, and built his own skills in the technical tools of several different eras as the computer world evolved. As a part of the airline industry, Mike provided technical support and software development, automating many time-consuming tasks for help desk agents. If the guy picking up the phone asked you how he could make your day truly fantastic and delightful, you knew you'd reached Mike.

One of the ways Mike showed his love for Bertie was in his ongoing maintenance of their home, usually done by himself, and generally on the cheap. This frugality, alongside his fascination with long-term investments, had waves of financial benefit. It allowed them to put both kids through college without incurring student loan debt. It created a savings account that provided for the quality private health care he needed in the final months of his life. And because his model for home management relied on his constant presence, his departure has proved an economic boon to the plumbers, electricians, handymen, house cleaners, and lawn care technicians of the greater Aurora area.

A man of many interests, Mike loved to share his passions with the people closest to him. He connected with his brother Doug through their love of golf, with his son-in-law Ryan over good drinks and restaurant meals, and with his daughter-in-law Laura by talking football and sports news. He also loved the arts, particularly classical music and theater, and volunteered throughout his life at fundraisers supporting cultural institutions.

Mike is survived by the family members mentioned above, as well as by a truly incredible number of science fiction novels and books about the Civil War, along with many other tomes on a panoply of subjects.

A public celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 11:00am, at the Summit Event Center, 411 Sable Blvd, Aurora, CO 80011. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Denver Brass , 2253 N Downing St, Denver, CO 80205, or the Cherry Creek Theatre , PO Box 200491, Denver, CO 80220 in his name.