Obituary for Declan O'Connor
Declan Patrick Joseph Anthony Mary O’Connor (yes, that was his actual name) passed away peacefully on February 10, 2019, in his final act as a classic rock enthusiast. He traded his life so Keith Richards could go on one final tour. Declan was born August 15, 1949, in Sligo, Ireland, to Agnes and Peter O’Connor. In the greatest occurrence of culture shock in history, he moved to Compton, California in 1961. He immediately fell in love with the laid-back, hippy lifestyle and took up surfing. Due to the tumultuous nature of the times, the family moved to Stamford, CT in the mid 1960’s. Declan’s adaptation to California lifestyle did him no favors in CT, where he struggled to fit in and make friends. In 1964, he met his first wife, Kathleen, and their first child, MaryEllen, was born in 1968. That same year, Declan joined the United States Marine Corps, where he fought in Vietnam, and was honorably discharged as a Sargent in 1971.
Throughout the ‘70’s, Declan embraced his artistic talents and photographed rock and roll legends, from the likes of The Clash, to Jimmy Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones. He was able to combine his love of music, the arts, and wanderlust by following the contemporary rock scene through all of the dive bars in NYC. He was known as a man of talent, who enjoyed a great party, and had the gift of gab. No matter what the circumstances, he had a moment to engage with people and enjoy a laugh with them- often to the chagrin of those he was with who were on a schedule.
In 1975, Declan moved his family to Gainesville, FL. He got a job doing photography for the University of Florida, and was a pioneer in the audio visual field. He and his wife bought a turquoise home, and in 1977, had their second child Tara. Throughout this time, he also worked for New Look Magazine as a photo-journalist, photographing bands and commercials, even using his oldest daughter for one of the original Pizza Hut ads.
In 1979, Declan moved his family back to Rowayton, CT, so he could work for a new enterprise called HBO. His middle child’s favorite show is The Sopranos, and she will forever be grateful for his contribution to making that channel a success. Declan was a man who never met a bargain he didn’t like, and was happy to haggle with anyone, under any circumstances. In the 1990’s, his sister ended up with an unfortunate paint color on her porch, because it was on sale. It remains a fun family story to this day.
In 1987, Declan had his first and only son, Ryan, with his second wife, Rosemary Bonner O’Connor. In 1990, Declan purchased his final home in Winter Springs, FL. In Florida, he started his own business, called Network Audiovisual. His work included filming a local church and broadcasting their Sunday services. He also worked as a DJ, and continued taking his breathtaking photos, beautifying everything he saw. He was incredibly proud of his son, Ryan, who started his own business, Rip n Dip, right out of the family home. That business has become very successful, and it was one of Declan’s favorite things to talk about.
Declan was a man of great love for his family, his homeland, and America… with a distinct distaste for the current president, shared adamantly by his daughters and wife. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and his children, MaryEllen , Tara, and Ryan. His siblings, Mary, Ronnie, Peter, and Sean will miss him greatly. His cousins, nieces, and nephews also remember him with humor and joy.
Declan O’Connor’s services will be on Friday, February 22, at Banfield Funeral Home, Winter Springs, FL from 11am to 12pm. A private service will take place at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, FL later that day.
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Throughout the ‘70’s, Declan embraced his artistic talents and photographed rock and roll legends, from the likes of The Clash, to Jimmy Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones. He was able to combine his love of music, the arts, and wanderlust by following the contemporary rock scene through all of the dive bars in NYC. He was known as a man of talent, who enjoyed a great party, and had the gift of gab. No matter what the circumstances, he had a moment to engage with people and enjoy a laugh with them- often to the chagrin of those he was with who were on a schedule.
In 1975, Declan moved his family to Gainesville, FL. He got a job doing photography for the University of Florida, and was a pioneer in the audio visual field. He and his wife bought a turquoise home, and in 1977, had their second child Tara. Throughout this time, he also worked for New Look Magazine as a photo-journalist, photographing bands and commercials, even using his oldest daughter for one of the original Pizza Hut ads.
In 1979, Declan moved his family back to Rowayton, CT, so he could work for a new enterprise called HBO. His middle child’s favorite show is The Sopranos, and she will forever be grateful for his contribution to making that channel a success. Declan was a man who never met a bargain he didn’t like, and was happy to haggle with anyone, under any circumstances. In the 1990’s, his sister ended up with an unfortunate paint color on her porch, because it was on sale. It remains a fun family story to this day.
In 1987, Declan had his first and only son, Ryan, with his second wife, Rosemary Bonner O’Connor. In 1990, Declan purchased his final home in Winter Springs, FL. In Florida, he started his own business, called Network Audiovisual. His work included filming a local church and broadcasting their Sunday services. He also worked as a DJ, and continued taking his breathtaking photos, beautifying everything he saw. He was incredibly proud of his son, Ryan, who started his own business, Rip n Dip, right out of the family home. That business has become very successful, and it was one of Declan’s favorite things to talk about.
Declan was a man of great love for his family, his homeland, and America… with a distinct distaste for the current president, shared adamantly by his daughters and wife. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and his children, MaryEllen , Tara, and Ryan. His siblings, Mary, Ronnie, Peter, and Sean will miss him greatly. His cousins, nieces, and nephews also remember him with humor and joy.
Declan O’Connor’s services will be on Friday, February 22, at Banfield Funeral Home, Winter Springs, FL from 11am to 12pm. A private service will take place at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, FL later that day.
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Previous Events
Service
Friday
22
Feb
11:00 AM
Banfield Funeral Home
420 West State Road 434
Winter Springs, FL 32708
Cemetery Details
Location
Cape Canaveral National Cemetery
5525 US Highway 1
Mims, FL 32754
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