David F Sheehan

David F. Sheehan was born on July 28, 1933, in Easton, Mass. He graduated from Boston College in 1955 with a B.S. in chemistry and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant United States Marine Corps Reserve. He was ordered to MCAS El Toro and began his continued stay in California in February 1956. After serving as the supply officer for VMF 115 he was released from active duty in 1957.

Dave spent a year as a graduate student in chemistry at USC. In 1958 he joined Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, first as a research chemist working in the areas of high energy oxidizers and fuels for space exploration. Dave earned an MBA in management theory from UCLA in 1967 and moved away from the labs into administration. He was a senior financial advisor for several space programs and also on a water jet propulsion program. During the last seven years of his 35 and a half years with Rocketdyne, he was the Division's principal Ombudsman investigator for fraud, waste, and abuse throughout the Division. Dave maintained his Marine Corps Reserve membership, first at NAS Los Alamitos where he served as supply officer for VMF 241, as group supply officer for both MAG 46 and MAG 42.

Dave went on to become the Wing Supply Officer for the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered in New Orleans where he was promoted to Colonel and held various senior staff positions, culminating in becoming the Acting Chief of Staff, a position no other Reserve non-aviator has held. After 33 years of service, Dave retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1985. His last Reserve assignment was commanding officer of MTU CA-53, stationed at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.

Dave participated in many organizations. He was Sierra Club Chair for both the Conejo Group and the Los Padres Chapter. Dave was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and served 10 years on the Franchise Advisory Board for the City of Thousand Oaks. But Dave's main love was travel, both domestic and international. As a trip leader for The Canyon Explorers Club (CAL), he led many groups to exotic places around the world. Dave was also an associate member of The Explorers Club (NY). Other memberships included: Sigma Xi, The American Chemical Society, The Chemical Society, The Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association, The Reserve Officers Association, The Retired Officers Association and The Friends of the Bard Mansion. He usually held active leadership positions in all of these memberships.

Dave leaves behind his son, Brian; daughter-in-law, Shannon; and his granddaughters, Riley Kathleen and Caitlin Mae, and his grandson, Colin Patrick.