James O'Connor Obituary

Dear Father O'Connor thank you for knowing me. It has been a pleasure having you as one of our Priests at St Hugh. God Bless

I attended the mass for Fr. O'Connor yesterday and it was clear how much he touched so many lives. It was mentioned many times that he didn't want a Eulogy. So their comments were called "Remarks". It was very touching and their memories really captured the essence of Fr. O'Connor: humble, caring, funny, supportive and "a stubborn Irishman who was completely spoiled by his two older sisters."

My own memories of Fr.O'Connor began as a child when he was on his first assignment at Resurrection Parish. He recognized your voice in confession and called you by name, he was a real mentor to my younger brother Tommy. He even lent my brother his car to take a girl to her prom. He also ran interference with my mother when Tommy and I surprised her with a retriever puppy for her birthday.
As the dog grew, he would always tell my mother that "Taffy still thinks she's a lap dog" when she would leap to sit on Father when he came to visit.
Father O'Connor really "knew" his Res family members. He watched out for their children, he was emotionally supportive of their parents.

He was authentic, caring, supportive, appropriate and present.
But most of all, he was the person he said he was. There was no dark side. Father was trusted and trustworthy. He was the best role model ever!!!

He was the witness to our lives and it continued through our adult lives. And in some ways we were the witness to his life too.

He will be missed and not forgotten.