John "Jack" OConnor

John A. "Jack" O'Connor, 85, passed away at his home in Biloxi on Wednesday, May 7, 2014. He was surrounded by his three children at the time of his passing, along with his devoted hospice nurse, Elizabeth Morrison, RN. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvester J. O'Connor and Kathryn Renauld O'Connor; his brother, William J. O'Connor; his sister, Catherine O'Connor Balzli, all of Mobile; and his loving and devoted wife, Claire Constantine "Weezie" O'Connor, of Biloxi. Jack is survived by his daughter, Karen O'Connor Craven (Charles) of Lake Tapps, WA; his son John A. O'Connor II of Biloxi; his son Danny O'Connor, also of Biloxi; and other extended family and friends. Jack was born in Mobile, AL on December 17, 1928. He attended St. Joseph's Parochial School; graduated from the McGill Institute in 1947; and received his baccalaureate degree of Bachelor of Business Administration from Springhill College in 1954. Jack was a devoted Roman Catholic and most recently a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. He enjoyed praying the Rosary and going to Mass every day. Jack served in the U.S. Naval Reserve, where he achieved the rating of Storekeeper First Class. He worked in the insurance industry most of his life, both in Mobile and later in Biloxi. He retired from Liberty National Life Insurance Company in 1992. Jack was a gregarious and social person who loved Mardi Gras, the outdoors, fishing, hunting and crabbing. He was an active member of a Mobile mystic society for over 50 years. He was an accomplished sailor and boater; he achieved the most points of any sailor during a season at the Mobile Yacht Club, where he was the first junior sailor to become "Cock of the Walk." It was here that he met the great love of his life, Claire Constantine "Weezie" O'Connor; they were married in November 1955. They moved to Biloxi in 1968 and resided there the rest of their lives. A visitation will be held in Biloxi on Sunday, May 11th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, 2511 Pass Road, Biloxi. A visitation will also be held Monday, May 12th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 1260 Elmira St., Mobile, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00 p.m. The Mass will be conducted by Msgr. G. Warren Wall. Jack will be interred at Pinecrest Cemetery on Dauphin Island Parkway following the religious services. The family would like to express their most sincere gratitude and appreciation to Elizabeth Morrison, RN, Sue Elliott, CNA, and the other caring and compassionate employees of Southern Care. Jack also received wonderful medical care from Dr. Don Benefield, Dr. Thomas Garrott, Dr. Frere Gremillion, Dr. Michael Loebenberg, Dr. Eva Magiros, Dr. Tinofa Muskwe, Dr. Jason Papania, Dr. Ricky Roach, Dr. Steven Shepens and Dr. Francesco Simeone. The years-long efforts of the pharmacy staff of Winn-Dixie on Pass Road in Biloxi are also to be commended and thanked for their patience and kindness. In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations to the Salvation Army or the Humane Society of South Mississippi.