Senior Chief Richard A. O'Brien MMCS, U.S. Navy retired, 62, of Dawsonville, died March 24, 2016.

Senior Chief O'Brien was born and raised in Clayton, Ind., and had been a resident of Dawson County for almost 20 years. After graduating from Cascade High School in 1972 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he became a member of the Navy SEALs.

He was involved in many conflicts from the time of Vietnam to Desert Storm and retired after 20 years of service.

Most recently, he worked for a number of years at The Louver Shop, where he was affectionately known as "Big Guy."

Survivors include his wife, Melissa Thurmond O'Brien of Dawsonville; children, Gene and Tammy Darby of Jasper, Diana Williams of Indianapolis, Ind., Tanica O'Brien of Dawsonville; parents, George and Patty O'Brien of Virginia, Steve and Evanna O'Brien, Ron and Tammy O'Brien, all of Indiana; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Horace Thurmond, Robert and Joann Thurmond, Terry and Sybil Thurmond, all of Dawsonville; sister-in-law, Brenda Dean of Dawsonville; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; various other relatives also survive.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. March 28 at Mill Creek Baptist Church with the Revs. Rodney Pilcher and Tim Pruitt officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations were requested made to The Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate.

Bearden Funeral Home of Dawsonville is in charge of the arrangements.