Tom O'Connor

He was born in Clinton County, Missouri, Nov. 10, 1931 to B. T. and Agnes O’Connor. He graduated from Plattsburg High School in 1949, and farmed with his father until he joined the US Air Force in 1952. He was schooled in electronics and radar at Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, and then became a Radar Technician at Perrin AFB, Sherman, TX, where he worked on the exact fighter jet that is on display at Camp Mabry, Austin, TX.

On Oct. 1, 1957, he proudly became an employee of IBM and enjoyed a career of 30 years - with 22 of them in Kansas City, MO, and 8 in San Jose, CA before retiring in Austin, TX. During his career he was Sr. Customer Engineer Specialist and Sr. Program Support Representative in Kansas City and San Jose, then worked in Software Test and Development at Santa Teresa Lab in San Jose. He was presented IBM Means Service Awards in both fields, in Recognition for Outstanding Accomplishments in Service.

Tom married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Ford, on July 5, 1952, and they enjoyed 58 years devoted to each other. They were blessed with two children, Thomas Michael and Anita Loraine. He loved all of his family and the times they spent together. Watching football and repairing anything that needed it were among his favorite things to do, as well as playing cards with many of their friends.

His parents preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, of Austin; son Michael O’Connor of Houston; Olive O’Connor of Houston; daughter, Loraine Moulder and husband Jim of Cedar Park; three grandsons, Brian Poolman of Austin, TX; Daniel Poolman of Austin/Houston; Sean Poolman of San Marcos, TX; Granddaughter, Melanie Diggins, Great-Granddaughters Adrienne Diggins and Alix O’Quinn; a brother, Donald O’Connor ( Helen), of Plattsburg, MO; four sisters, Loretta Broderick (Tom), Plattsburg, MO, Juanita Thornton (Jim), Liberty, MO; Charlene Swope (Emerson) of Joplin, MO, Peggy Evans (John) of Smithville, MO; twelve nieces and nephews, all of Missouri, and several cousins, living in the Midwest..

A special thanks to Dr. Michael Watkins, Dr. Robert Canby and staff at Texas Cardiac-Arrhythmia and Dr. Stuart McKennon for their excellent care in the past 20 yrs. Thanks also to Seton Medical Center Austin for the care given the many, many times he was a patient there.

Tom will be remembered at a memorial service at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, October 16, 2010, at the Cook-Walden/Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home on Anderson Mill Road. There will be a reception following the service.

For those desiring, memorials are suggested to Mobile Loaves & Fishes, 903 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin, TX 78746 or at www.mlfnow.org/donate.

To share your memories of Tom, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com.

Arrangements under the direction of Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home, Austin, TX.