Dennis O'Callaghan of Lowell, Ohio passed away August 2016 after a courageous battle with lung cancer. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of immigrant parents, O'Callaghan had a very high regard for hard work and entrepreneurial efforts. He was the progenitor of several business endeavors during his lifetime, beginning in his teens. In 1991, he started Gaskets, Packings and Seals in Parkersburg with his business partner, Tom Houck, serving the needs of local chemical and power plants. The business started as a very small company with only a few employees, but by the time of his death, Gaskets, Packings and Seals was a thriving enterprise with more than a dozen employees. O'Callaghan believed in rewarding hard work and was dedicated to his team of employees.

"Dennis was also a wonderful husband, father, son, and brother," said his wife, Tammy O'Callaghan "He had tough standards for those who worked for him and for those who lived with him, but his great love and loyalty to both made everyone want to live up to his high standards."

To forever honor O'Callaghan's entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic, his family established the Dennis M. O'Callaghan Memorial Scholarship with the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. This fund is designed to forever provide scholarship support to graduating senior students residing in Washington County, Ohio or Wood County, West Virginia. Recipients of this scholarship shall be selected on the basis of character, academic performance, work ethic, and community involvement. Preference shall be given to a qualified homeschool student. If there is not a qualified homeschool student, then a graduating high school senior with a grade point average between 3.0-3.5 on a 4.0 scale shall be considered.

The Dennis M. O'Callaghan Memorial Scholarship will help support the region's youth forever and continue to honor an influential local entrepreneur.