David Joe Orr

Our beloved son, brother, and cherished friend passed away April 9, 2024 the same way he lived his life, with courage, humor, and ornery determination. While battling an incurable cancer, David continued to worry about his mother, his sister Suzanne, and his dog Lois. None of this prevented him from chastising visitors who neglected to use coasters on his vintage furniture.

From the moment David was born on October 18, 1960, in Honolulu Hawaii, his mom knew he was special. Even as a baby, he was quiet, thoughtful, and reserved. His gentle and compassionate nature contributed to his success as a special education teacher for Norman Public Schools. He taught students at several facilities until retirement in 2016. David’s empathic nature extended beyond the students he guided and mentored.

David’s menagerie of animals always included dogs that could be considered a bit eclectic and unique. Maybe they were a little “bitey” or a little timid or they had been found abandoned or they required special medication or special food or special attention. David loved them and nurtured them. These lucky dogs flourished under his care.

David was fiercely loyal to friends, family, his pets, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Chicago Cubs. As an OU graduate, he never missed a chance to cheer on his Sooners, even traveling to attend many National Championship games. And he never abandoned his beloved Vikings no matter how many times they broke his heart.

David was an art history buff and a renaissance man who cherished mid-century architecture and furniture. He eschewed modern generic aesthetics. David proudly displayed unique vintage pieces inherited from his maternal grandmother, 50’s and 60’s memorabilia, and his collection of first edition science fiction books and comics. David preferred newspapers to electronic media, subscribed to the local paper and completed the crossword puzzles every day in ink. He was well known for his clever biting letters to the editor.

David had a passion for live music and trivia nights with his friends. He traveled to different cities and states to listen to his favorite bands, most notably “The Who”. He was instrumental in guiding his family to victory during a ship-wide trivia contest during an Alaska cruise.

David was a unique individual who left the world a better place. He fed the homeless, not via donations or volunteering occasionally at a soup kitchen. Rather, he made sandwiches and personally handed them to the individuals he passed daily. David refused single use products, shunned consumerism, and denounced the wasting of resources. He left our planet too soon.

David was preceded in death by his adored father Bill and is survived by his loving mother Dorothy; his sister Suzanne; his brother Stephen and wife Audrey; his sister Dianna and husband Jim Norton; his cherished friends Mike and Dana Cantwell; and his dog Lois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of David to: OETA https://www.oeta.tv, Food and Shelter https://www.foodandshelterinc.org, or Second Chance Animal Rescue https://www.secondchancenorman.com.