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O'Dea, Thomas F. (1915-1974)

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1915 - 1974

Biography

Thomas F. O'Dea (1915-1974) was an American sociologist, author, and teacher.

Thomas F. O'Dea was born December 1, 1915, in Amesbury, Massachusetts to father Patrick J. O'Dea and mother Mary Quinn. Historically, his life bridged the period from World War I to the Vietnam War. During his youth he attended Saint Joseph's Parochial School in Amesbury and Amesbury High School, after which he studied printing at the Wentworth Institute in Boston. After serving in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, he entered Harvard University and graduated summa cum laude in 1949. He continued at Harvard, earning an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology, in 1951 and 1953 respectively. In 1966 he authored the book "The Sociology of Religion." He was a member of the faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1951-1956), The University of Utah (1959-1964), and Columbia University (1964-1966). He completed his teaching career at the University of California, Santa Barbara as a professor of religious studies and sociology. He married his wife Gertrude Stillman on June 5, 1936 in New York City. He died on November 12, 1974, in Santa Barbara, California.

Citation:
His The Mormons, 1957.

His Chonggyo sahoehak, 1989: t.p. (Tʻomasŭ F. Odea) t.p. verso (Thomas F. OʼDea)

Encyclopedia of religion and society, via WWW, April 10, 2006 (1915-1974, Sociologist of religion; Ph. D., Harvard University)

calisphere, University of California, website viewed 25 June 2013 (Thomas F. O'Dea; religious studies; sociology; Santa Barbara; died November 12, 1974; joined the UCSB faculty January 1, 1957 as professor of sociology and religious studies; faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1951-56), Fordham University (1956-59), University of Utah (1959-64), and Columbia University (1964-66); born in Amesbury, Massachusetts Dec 1, 1915)

678 information transferred to 670 field, 21 August 2013(associate prof.; b. 1915)

Familysearch, Via WWW, January 3, 2023 (Roy Elmo Gibson; b. Dec. 28 1911; d. Jun. 17, 1978; newspaper man; Regularly speaking newspaper column; employed at cache valley herald; Nephi times job; mother Alice Almira North; Father Jacob Gibson; Wife Emma Zoe Powell; Had two children)

Online Archive of California, Via WWW, January 3, 2023 (Thomas O'Dea; b. Dec. 1, 1915 in Amesbury, Mass.; d. Nov. 12, 1974; sociologist; religious studies: Santa Barbara; faculty member at University of California, Santa Barbara beginning in 1967; previously faculty member at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1951-56), Fordham University (1956-59), the University of Utah (1959-64), and Columbia University (1964-66); worked in various trades, labor organizer, active in politics; during World War II, served in U.S. Army (in the infantry and the air corps) in North Africa, Australia, the Mariannas, India, and China; attended Harvard, graduating summa cum laude in 1949; M.A., 1951; Ph.D., 1953; participated in the Laboratory of Social Relations project on "The Comparative Study of Values in Five Cultures" in northern New Mexico, focused his attention on Mormon community of Ramah; researched Mormonism, authoring The Sociology of Mormonism (1955), and The Mormons (1957))

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