Brian O'Donnell

Brian Robert O’Donnell, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on October 15 with family and friends, passed away unexpectedly due to a tragic event on October 16, 2020.

Brian was born in Wyandotte, MI to Mark and Gwen O’Donnell.  In 1978, the family moved to Fenton, Michigan where Brian resided for the remainder of his life.  He was preceded in death by his father, Mark Anthony O’Donnell, and his brother, Mark Edward O’Donnell.  He is survived by his mother, Gwendolyn (Baker) Graham, and stepfather, James Graham; brother, Andrew (Dana) O’Donnell; grandmother, Elizabeth O’Donnell; aunts, Roberta Baker, Ena Baker, Sara Baker, Sylvia Baker, Theresa (Mike) Hicks, Patricia O’Donnell; uncle William (Barbara) Baker; step-uncle, Mike Policka; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.  In addition to family, many close friends, especially those in the Fenton community, grieve the loss of Brian.

Brian graduated from Fenton High School in 1996 and continued his education at Michigan Career and Technical Institution in Plainwell, MI.

From an early age, Brian demonstrated unique and various passions including astronomy, computers, and electronics. Brian was an active member of the Detroit Model Railroad Club where he worked tirelessly at maintaining inventories of trains, fundraising, and sharing the historical significance of railroads and the fun of model railroading.  Several of Brian’s personal collection items are on display at the train club, where they will remain for the community to enjoy.

Brian’s servant spirit was reflected in his contributions to Fenton’s community events, such as Applefest and the Fourth of July celebrations. He was always willing to help others in any way he could.  Brian was a beloved member of the community and his goodwill and service as a “volunteer ombudsmen” will be deeply missed.

Above Brian’s love for serving the community, was his devotion to his family. He was a constant friend and mentor to his brother, Andrew, and was proud to serve as best man at his wedding. His interest in learning about how things work continued to grow as he was mentored by his stepfather, Jim.  Brian had a great sense of humor, loved to laugh, and created bright moments and joy every day with those around him, particularly with his mother Gwen.

Brian had a love for music, especially 1980’s rock-and-roll, and was looking forward to attending the upcoming Billy Joel concert. He was also looking forward to spending time with Andrew and Dana at their farm in North Carolina.

Visitation will be held at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 Silver Lake Road, Fenton, MI on Friday, October 23 from 1PM to 3PM, and 5PM to 7PM with a sharing of memories by friends from 7 – 8PM.

Funeral service will be held at 11AM at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, Saturday, October 24.

The story sharing Friday evening and the funeral service on Saturday will be live streamed at Brian’s obituary page www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.

Interment will occur privately at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Brian’s memory be made to the Detroit Model Train Club (www.dmrrc.org), the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan (www.epilepsymichigan.org), or a charity of your choosing.