Obituary for Donald Dobbs

Ponca City Now - July 7, 2023 4:24 pm

Donald Dobbs

August 10, 1960 – July 3, 2023

Donald Alan Dobbs died after a short illness at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Monday morning, July 3, 2023. He was 62 years old.

Don was born August 10, 1960, in Enid, the only child of Donald Gene and Iris Jean (née McClain) Dobbs. He grew up in Medford, working in the family television sales and service store. His mother died in 1974 after a long battle with lung cancer. He played guitar and saxophone at Medford High School and worked as a projectionist at the local movie theater. The job began a lifelong love of cinema and old theaters. He graduated from high school in 1978 and went to Northern Oklahoma College where he played guitar in the Roustabouts, the jazz band, and the pep band. He completed his associate degree in journalism and broadcasting and moved to Dallas, working for Unitel as the engineer in charge of mobile and large-scale remote television broadcasts.

Don met Brenda Steichen while they were both students at NOC. They were married August 6, 1988, and moved to Stillwater, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. After his graduation, he worked as director of engineering for Oklahoma State Television.

They welcomed their son, Ethan, into the family December 21, 1993. They moved to Tulsa in 1995, and Don took the position of director of engineering for KOTV-Channel 6.

In 2002, Don and family moved to the Dallas area, where he worked for the local CBS and NBC stations and led numerous engineering projects. The family returned to Tulsa in 2015 when Don accepted the director of engineering position at KJRH-Channel 2.

Throughout his time in Dallas and Tulsa, Don was a dedicated leader of the local Society of Broadcast Engineers and Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers chapters.

Continuing his lifelong passion for rock and roll music, Don was a devoted member of the Stoneleighs, a Dallas-area Rolling Stones tribute band.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda, of Tulsa, and son, Ethan, of Houston. We will miss his quick wit, his passion for current events, and his annoyed willingness to help us with our television remotes.

Source: Trout Funeral Home