Stephen A. O'Rourke

Stephen Andrew O'Rourke, 62, passed from this life to continue on his journey of enlightenment and achieving nirvana, August 27, 2018, at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, CT. He was born on September 16, 1955, to Edward and Betty (Stephens) O’Rourke of Bethel, CT.

Stephen attended Bethel schools and graduated from Bethel High in 1973, ranking 7th in his class out of 167 students. Stephen attended Butler University in Indianapolis, IN (73-74) and Emerson College in Boston, MA (74-78.) He graduated from Emerson College in 1978 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Mass Communication (Film and Photography) and a minor in English. He was a longtime member of the fraternity Kappa Sigma. Stephen lived in Cambridge, MA for many years while working as a Senior Microfilmer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) He later worked as an Inventory Control Supervisor at CD One Stop in Bethel, CT.

Profoundly intelligent, madly eccentric, a bit zany with a wicked sense of humor, Stephen was a singular individual. He was often seen sporting unique hats from his personal collection and wearing his signature black leather jacket. He was an avid and voracious reader of literature especially mysteries, horror and science fiction genres. Some of his favorite authors were Ray Bradbury, William S. Burroughs, Harlan Ellison, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Stephen King, James Patterson, and Hunter S. Thompson. Stephen likewise was a gifted writer and penned many poems, short stories, and novellas. An enthusiastic music lover, he appreciated a myriad of styles by David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Brian Eno, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Charles Ives, Tom Waits, and Frank Zappa to name a few. Stephen, in addition, could play multiple instruments such as the saxophone, guitar, organ, and synthesizer. He also enjoyed listening to comedy albums by George Carlin, Cheech and Chong, and The Firesign Theatre. He studied acting and had performed in local and college theatre. A passionate film connoisseur, he cherished the movie theatre as his preferred haunt. He was able to meet his favorite film director, Ken Russell, in New York in 2010. He was proficient at playing computer games and exceptional at crossword puzzles. Stephen was an animal lover (especially cats) and volunteered for DAWS. A favorite place for Stephen was on Cape Cod where he enjoyed the ocean and body surfing at Nauset Beach. A highlight of his traveling days was a trip to visit Ernest Hemingway’s house in Key West, FL in 2011.

Stephen is predeceased by his parents, Edward and Betty O'Rourke. He is survived by a brother, Douglas O'Rourke of Lady Lake, FL, a sister, Karen Keeler of New Fairfield, CT, a nephew, Andrew Keeler of Louisville, CO, a niece, Adrienne Ciarletta, a great-nephew, Nicholas Ciarletta, and a great-niece, Claire Ciarletta all of Wassaic, NY, and an aunt, Emily Hill of Oxford, NY, as well as several cousins in Georgia, New York, and Tennessee.

In honor of Stephen, please donate to your local library in his name or remember him whenever you read a book, go to the movies or catch an episode of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”.

“Any man's life, told truly, is a novel…” Ernest Hemingway.

Family and friends will gather in the future for a memorial at the convenience of the family.