Roger Omahen

Attending Seattle University was a good choice for someone who felt his life's work would be related to aviation. Accordingly, Roger O'Mahen graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in June 1966, beginning a long aviation career.

His first position was with a major US airline's engineering facility in San Francisco, CA (one of two stints with that employer). But, with the Vietnam conflict near its height, Roger entered Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, Texas and was commissioned in January 1967. For the next four years he worked on developing new nuclear weapon systems at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM. This work also entailed a significant number of trips back to Seattle as Boeing was a prime contractor on these systems. A temporary duty assignment on Guam allowed Roger to get the lay of the land of Okinawa, Japan and South Vietnam (as seen from B-52's at 39,000 feet). Roger separated from active military duty as a Captain in January 1971.

Starting in1972, Roger had the opportunity to work at something he always wanted, enjoyed immensely, didn't even consider work, and couldn't believe he actually got paid for doing it. For six years, as chief pilot, Roger ran corporate aviation operations for a Michigan manufacturing company.

During this time he also married a woman he had met in Albuquerque. Jane and Roger soon had a family as they were blessed with three daughters born between 1972 and 1976.

But even dream jobs sometimes end. In 1977, without planes to fly, there was little reason to stay in poor-weather Michigan. So the family packed up and set out to see what might await them back in the sunny Southwest. After one year in Albuquerque, Roger secured a position in Tucson, AZ with Learjet as a mechanical liaison engineer. Though it wasn't flying, it was the next best thing: solving technical and production problems in the manufacture of sleek corporate jets.

A fourth daughter joined the family in 1981.

A long and pleasant association with Tucson continued when, in 1982, Roger moved across the street to Hughes Aircraft Company. After working on a number of advanced weapon systems he eventually became the Senior Project Engineer on the Hughes Maverick Missile System. Roger felt a degree of satisfaction in seeing TV reports on how well the Maverick performed during the liberation of Kuwait.

The mid 90's saw a drought of technical jobs and the unfortunate circumstance of a divorce. Yet Roger was fortunate enough to remain in Tucson and somehow managed, perhaps through Divine intervention, to see all four daughters complete their college educations.

A resurgence in airliner sales then led to Roger's gaining employment at Honeywell Engines in Phoenix, AZ. Roger worked as Project Engineer on a number of military and civilian aircraft auxiliary power units until retirement in January 2006.

Roger relocated to Las Cruces, NM where he took up playing senior softball, became a regular at weekly ballroom dances, began bike riding, and delved into family genealogy. He was also active at his local parish in Dona Ana, NM, in both Lector and Eucharistic Minister capacities.

Roger was pre-deceased by his daughters Beth (2009, age 33, complications related to Cystic Fibrosis) and Cassandra (2018, age 36).

Surviving are two daughters, Heather Willis and Sarah Curley, two sons-in-law, Bob Willis and Nate Curley, one grandson, Trystan Willis, and two granddaughters, Isabel Willis and Madelyn Curley.

Roger died October 4, 2021 in Albuquerque, NM at the age of 79 from complications arising from glioblastoma. He is interred at Holy Hope Cemetery Tucson, AZ.

A visitation for Roger will be held Monday, October 18, 2021 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Funeraria del Angel University, 7 East University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85705. A committal service will occur Monday, November 8, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Holy Hope Cemetery, 3555 N Oracle Road., Tucson, AZ 85705.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangeltucson.com for the Omahen family.