William C. O'Connor

William C. O’Connor, 77, of Toms River, NJ, passed away on July 31, 2015 surrounded by his loving family. Bill (as he was known) was born on March 16, 1938 in the Bronx, NY where he resided before moving to Jackson NJ in 1973. He then relocated to Toms River in 1999. Bill served in the United States Marine Corp 1955 until 1960. He worked for Brinks Armored Security before retiring in 1980. He went on to have a second career at the Naval Air Engineering Center Lakehurst, NJ in the Public Works Dept. before retiring in 1999. After retiring, he worked for Jackson Twp. Schools as a security guard where he met his current wife. Bill is a member of St Luke’s RC Church, the Hibernian Society, VFW, and lifelong member of the Jackson AMVETS Post 2.

Bill is predeceased by his first wife, Mary O’Connor and granddaughter, Erin Grace Bishop. He is also predeceased by his sister Kay Faulhaber, his brother John O’Connor, and his brother in laws John and James Lenihan. Bill is survived by his wife, Kathleen Santoro O’Connor and his 4 children, Marie Pizzella and her husband Bob of Whiting NJ, Sean O’Connor and his wife Jackie of Jackson NJ, Patricia Byrnes and her husband Jamie of Jackson NJ, and Margaret O’Connor Bishop of Moncks Corner, SC. Bill also had 3 stepsons, Joseph Santora and his wife Sharon of Berkeley, Brian Santoro of California and Christopher Santoro and his wife Denise of Berkeley. Bill is also survived by his 10 grandchildren – Michael O’Connor and his wife Sierra, Justin O’Connor, Christi DiPaolo and her husband Anthony, Jennifer Diamonte and her husband Mike, Tim Pizzella and his wife Christine, Katelyn O’Connor and her fiancé Jason Young, Meghan Byrnes, Sean O’Connor, Kevin Byrnes and Mayson Bishop and 3 great-grandchildren, Lily, Haven and Jackson.

Bill had special relationships with his brother in law Tom Lenihan and his wife Pat and his brother in law Phil Faulhaber. Bill also leaves behind a brother Michael O’Connor and a sister Eileen O’Connor.

Visitation will be held on Monday, August 3, 2015 from 10am-12pm at the Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home, 3010 Ridgeway Rd. Manchester, NJ. Funeral Services will be held at 12:30pm at St. Joseph’s Cemetery Chapel, Toms River, NJ. Burial will take place immediately following service at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Bill to the Wounded Warriors Project at P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 or online at woundedwarriorproject.org.