Francis O'Donnell

Francis O’Donnell, age 95, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2019, in Newburyport. He was born in 1923 in Philadelphia, and had four siblings, Jack, Richard, Florence and Rita. 

Frank, as he was known to his friends, met his “ever-loving” wife Dolores Bryan on a blind double date. She was not his date, but he stole a dance, and she stole his heart. After a night of jitterbugging, his hair was a mess, so he asked her, “do you have a comb?” “Yes,” said Dolores, “I suggest you use it.”

Frank enlisted in WWII when he was 17, serving in Burma, China and India. After the war, he and Dolores married and had seven children. Frank had a distinguished career with RCA Records, representing and promoting top artists, including Elvis, Arthur Fiedler, David Bowie, The Police and “all the greats.” Frank  was also an actor, author and lover of theatre, film and literature.

But above all, Frank adored his family, including his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His love affair with his wife, Dolores, only grew stronger with time, until her passing in 2014. “OD,” as Dolores called him, was a kindhearted man whose legacy will live on in his large, loving family. He is survived by his children Connie, Lorraine, Amy, Dolores, Christopher and David. Frank will be missed by everyone who knew him.

Services and burial will be private.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Francis O'Donnell, please visit our floral store.