Jeremiah F. O'Connor

Jerry O'Connor passed peacefully at Bayshore Health Care Center just four months shy of his 101st birthday. He is pre-deceased by his wife of 54 years, Margaret (Peggy), his second wife of ten years, Marjorie and his sister Rita. Jerry is survived by his three children, Bob and Cece O’Connor of Venice, Florida; Marge and Bill Rieth of Middletown, New Jersey and Jack and Joann of Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, Jerry is survived by ten grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

Jerry was born on St Patrick's Day, 1913, in New York City, the son of a NYC fireman. He graduated from Fordham University and had several accounting-related jobs including many years at Foster Wheeler. The latter included a year-long assignment, with his family, in Puerto Rico. In the early 1950's Jerry moved the family from Brooklyn to Long Island and shortly thereafter started his own practice, providing accounting services to small businesses.

During his working years, Jerry raised a family, took an occasional cruise with Peggy and was lucky enough to win a boat on the then-popular game show Treasure Hunt. The boat ignited a love for the water and boats that lasted the rest of his life. His other love, besides his family, was his trains. He began making HO gauge trains as a young man and continued to build elaborate train layouts with very detailed buildings and scenery right into his nineties. Upon retiring in 1978, Jerry and Peggy moved to the Leisure Knoll community in Manchester, New Jersey. There, he was a Trustee for thirteen years for the Leisure Knoll community association and was a member of the Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders. In addition, he was a member of the St John's Catholic Church in Lakehurst where he sang in the choir. Throughout his life, Jerry was known for his personal honesty and integrity and love of family.

Visitation will be held at the Anderson Campbell Funeral Home, 3010 Ridgeway Road, Manchester, 08759, on Friday December 6, 2013, from 2-4 & 7-9 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 10 am, at Saint John’s Church, 619 Chestnut Street, Lakehurst, NJ 07033. Please visit www.andersoncampbellmanchester.com.