John Patrick O'Connor

Born in Gorthaleen, Castlemaine, Co. Kerry, Ireland, he was a son of the late Timothy and Bridget (O’Connor) O’Connor. He was the beloved Husband for 34 years of Mary Catherine (Thornton), and the loving father of Fiona C. O’Connor of Norwood.

John O’Connor emigrated to the United States on July 16, 1966, and worked for over 25 years as a Sprinkler Fitter for Local 550 in Boston, retiring in 2009. John was the “Unofficial Mayor” of the Town of Norwood, and was an usher at St. Catherine of Siena Church for many years. He was a member of the Irish Social Club in West Roxbury, and a huge fan of the Kerry Gaelic football team, as well as all Boston area sports teams, especially the New England Patriots. In his free time, he enjoyed playing golf and travelled to many golf courses around the world.

John was the brother of Joan Finn of West Roxbury, Maureen Creavin and her husband Thomas of Roslindale, Margaret Horgan of Co. Kerry Ireland, James O’Connor and Bridie Kennedy and her husband Michael all of London England, Nora Annis and her husband Al of Abington, Gerard O’Connor and his partner Carmel Moll of London England, and Thomas O’Connor and his wife Mary of Co. Kerry Ireland, and the late Jeremiah O’Connor, and his wife Joan Gaffney – O’Connor of Walpole, and the late Timothy Joseph O’Connor. He is survived by many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, as well as many relatives and friends in the United States and in Ireland. He will also be missed by his beloved Border Collie, Kerry, who came all the way from Ireland.

John’s funeral will be on Monday July 27, at 10 AM from the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole St. (Rt. 1A) NORWOOD, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 o’clock at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 547 Washington St., Norwood. Interment will follow in Highland Cemetery, Norwood. Relatives and friends are kindly invited, and may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 3 to 8 PM.

Expressions of sympathy in John’s memory may be directed to the A.L.S. Foundation,320 Norwood Park S. #2, Norwood, MA 02062 or the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.