Hugh (Bud) O’Connor, a resident of Austin for the last 41 years passed away on November 20, 2014, after a long illness. He was born in Montezuma, New York on January 23, 1931 to Charles A. and Mary Elizabeth O’Connor. He was a graduate of Syracuse University and was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force upon graduation. He was a founding member and parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Austin. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Charles R. O’Connor, a sister, Mary Elizabeth Magill and his devoted wife, Mary Ellen in 2007. He was a loving and caring father, grandfather and great-grandfather and will be sorely missed by his many friends and family.
Hugh lost his parents when he was only four, and was raised along with his brother and sister by his loving Aunt Helen. He grew up in beautiful upstate New York and worked extremely hard to reach his dream of attending Syracuse University. While at Syracuse he followed another dream, that of flying.
Upon graduation he was commissioned into the USAF. He attended flight training at Hondo Air Force Base in Texas, before being transferred to Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma. While at Vance, he graduated from flight school, earning his wings, and also meeting the love of his life, Mary Ellen. After only three dates, Hugh and Mary Ellen became engaged and married on June 9, 1956, a union that lasted 51 wonderful years. His next assignment carried him and Mary Ellen to Harlingen AFB, Texas where they spent the next three years.
Hugh left active duty in 1959. For the next three years, he served as an air traffic controller at Hobby Airport in Houston and flew C119’s in the Air Force Reserves. His separation from active duty would be short lived however. In 1962, as the Vietnam conflict began to escalate, Uncle Sam called him back to active service and was soon moved to Stewart AFB in Newburgh, New York where Hugh flew C123’s in support of the Air Defense Command. In 1964, he began flying C130’s and was transferred to Yokota AFB, Japan. For the next two years, he flew reconnaissance missions for the NSA out of Vietnam, Korea and other sites in Southeast Asia.
His next assignment brought him to the States where he began flying the KC135 tanker out of Blytheville, Arkansas. In 1971 he was sent on a temporary duty to Cold Bay, Alaska where he served as Squadron Commander. Following his assignment in Alaska, Hugh was transferred to Grissom AFB, Indiana. After a short stay in Indiana, Hugh moved to his last assignment – Bergstrom AFB, Austin where he retired from active duty in 1979. He left the Air Force with rank of Major and a number of very admirable accomplishments. Most notably, 7,000 flight hours logged, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Vietnam Service Medal with 8 Battle Stars, along with numerous other awards and decorations.
Upon leaving the Air Force, Hugh became a real estate broker and enjoyed a successful career in residential real estate for over 25 years in the Austin and surrounding area.
Hugh is survived by his daughter, Kathleen O’Connor Honeycutt and husband David of Cedar Park, son Patrick O’Connor and wife Delores of Lockhart, and daughter Maureen O’Connor Reyes and husband Joe of Austin. Ten grandchildren, Jennifer Storm, Jessica Cartwright, Julie Barnett, Hayley Honeycutt, Ryan Patrick O’Connor, Kaitlin O’Connor, Pierce O’Connor Laura Reyes, Sarah Reyes, Allison Reyes and nine great-grandchildren.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 7:00 P.M., in the Chapel of Cook Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M., Monday, November 24, 2014 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. Interment will be at 9:30 A.M., Tuesday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18