John J. O’Connor, a New Canaan resident for 43 years, passed away peacefully on February 20, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Manhattan, NY on August 20th, 1946, the eldest son of Daniel and Dorothy O’Connor. He married his college sweetheart, Wynne (Muller) O’Connor, and together they celebrated 49 years of marriage, raising three children and sharing the joy of five grandchildren.
John J. O’Connor
Raised in Jackson Heights, NY, John graduated from Xavier High School and went on to earn his bachelor’s and law degrees at Fordham University and a Master of Laws degree at NYU Graduate School of Law.
He dedicated many years to a successful career as a corporate attorney and, upon retirement, found fulfillment in teaching law and business courses at local colleges and universities. He was a proud member of the Army’s Fighting 69th Regiment and of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.
John had a bold appreciation for life, punctuated by his faith and love of family. He enjoyed skiing, fishing, jogging, and tending to his vegetable garden. On sunny days, he could be found cruising in his vintage red Miata convertible or at the ballpark cheering for the Mets. Above all, John cherished time with his family and friends.
A devout Catholic, John lived an intense prayer life and graciously shared his faith with others. He was always courageous. He ran the course and lived the Scripture, loving others as himself and demonstrating his faith and reverence to the Lord regularly through his actions. John attended Mass daily at St. Aloysius and would often share the gospel message in a loving and kind way to those around him. Through his love and kindness, he drew his family and friends towards the faith. We are eternally thankful to him for that gift.
John is survived by his wife, Wynne, his three children, Joan Archer (Herbert) of New Fairfield, CT, Liz O’Connor (Stephen Magyera) of New Canaan, and Daniel O’Connor (Pamela) of New Canaan, his brothers and sister, Paul O’Connor (Donna) of Belleville, NJ, Daniel F. O’Connor (Debra) of Naples, FL, Ann O’Connor White of New Fairfield, CT, and his grandchildren, Stephen and Sean Magyera, John O’Connor, and Brian and Liam Archer. He is predeceased by his parents Daniel and Dorothy O’Connor and his brother Robert O’Connor.
The family extends their gratitude to Memorial Sloan Kettering for the care John received. In memory of John’s life, the family asks that remembrances be made in the form of flowers, contributions to John’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Medical Center https://www.stjude.org/give.html, or to the charity of one’s choice.
The wake will be held on Sunday, February 25th from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main St. New Canaan, CT.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, February 26th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Aloysius in New Canaan, CT. Burial will follow at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY.
For directions or to leave an online condolence, click here: https://hoytfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/1785/John-O-Connor/obituary.html#tribute-start.
Wynne,
I discovered John’s Obituary inadvertently and wanted to express my thoughts and prayers for you and the family. I’m sorry I lost touch with John so many years ago. He was a great and good friend. We enjoyed a little tennis and a few beers (not in that order) and he did me a few legal favors in the 70’s , including my parents will, about which we joked that there were only 6 O’Connor brothers – none named John.
I believe that you and John were so fortunate to have one another.
Kevin O’Connor (St. Kevin’s and Fordham)