Pat O'Rourke

Pat Francis O'Rourke (August 27, 1942 – July 3, 2001) was an American businessman and politician based in El Paso, Texas. He is the father of politician Beto O'Rourke. Early life and education O'Rourke was born at El Paso's old Southwestern General Hospital, the only son of Mildred Rowena, ( Jasper), and John Francis "Frank" O'Rourke, a former baseball player and then manager of the public relations department at Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECO). He had a half-sister from his mother's previous marriage. His great-grandfather, Bernard O'Rourke, was an Irish Catholic railway worker originally from Glencar, County Leitrim and naturalized as an American citizen in 1868. His first name on his birth certificate was Pat and not Patrick. He attended Davy Crocket Elementary School and Austin High School before graduating from New Mexico Military Institute. He got his undergraduate degree at Texas Western University (now University of Texas at El Paso) and took courses at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Career By age 25, both of O'Rourke's parents were deceased. His first forays into politics were greatly aided by his uncle, Raymond O'Rourke, head jailer for El Paso County who ultimately held that position for 30 years.