Kevin G. O’Connor, 59, of Manchester, died March 25, 2013 at Lawrence General Hospital in Lawrence, MA after a sudden illness.
He was born in Manchester on April 30, 1953 to Kelly and Eleanor (St. Pierre) O’Connor. He was a lifelong resident of Manchester.
He graduated from Bishop Bradley High School in 1971. He was an excellent baseball player and was on the 1969 high school state championship baseball team. He also played on the Sweeney Post American Legion Baseball World Series championship team.
He was a fan of the Red Sox and Patriots. Even though he excelled at many sports, skiing was his favorite passion. He conquered Tuckerman’s Ravine and 1968 Olympic champion skier Jean-Claude Killy was his hero. In his youth, you could find Kevin around the neighborhood skiing over enormous snowbanks, showing off his gifted talents.
In 1972, he suffered a debilitating head injury while skiing on Wildcat Mountain. The whole city rallied around him to show support. To the amazement of the medical staff at Concord Hospital, Kevin was able to come home.
He faced a very long and arduous recovery, but never gave up hope. He was never able to participate in sports again, but would be seen riding a bicycle all over town and went wherever he wanted to go.
Over the years as his injury got the better of him, he still wanted to make himself useful and was always offering to help clean up a yard or shovel a driveway. He was always willing to help out.
His favorite music band was Savoy Brown and liked to brag that he saw them nine times. He also was a fan of the Three Stooges and would laugh at their shows.
Kevin will always be remembered as a survivor with determination and a great sense of humor.
He was a lifelong communicant of St. Joseph Cathedral. His faith was unfailing and he attended Mass on a daily basis when possible.
The family includes seven siblings, Dennis J. O’Connor and his wife, Susan, of Manchester, Linda A. Beaudette of Colorado, Gary J. O’Connor and his wife, Christina, and Maureen K. McQuaid all of Manchester, Kelly S. O’Connor of Maryland, Col. Brian E. O’Connor, Ret. and his wife, Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso, of Virginia and Kathleen E. O’Connor of Belmont; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at St. Joseph Cathedral, corner of Pine and Lowell streets, Manchester. Committal prayers followed at St. Joseph Cemetery, 448 Donald St., Bedford.