William G. O'Connor

Leadville Herald, January 7, 2015 3:10 pm

William (Bill) George O’Connor Sr.

William (Bill) George O’Connor Sr. passed away peacefully Jan. 1.  He was surrounded by several members of his family.

He was born Aug. 28, 1926, the eldest son of Eugene and Antoinette O’Connor.  His siblings were Alice, Irene, Gene, Jack, Jim and Jerry.  He spent his growing years helping around the family ranch in Nathrop where they raised sheep and cattle.  He attended Gas Creek School and Salida High School but left at the age of 17 to serve in World War II by enlisting in the U.S. Navy.  There he served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid fighting the war in the Pacific.

After the war, he returned to the ranch where he married Dolores Mendenhall, of Buena Vista, on June 21, 1950.  After the marriage the couple moved to Tulsa, Okla., where he attended Spartan School of Aeronautics.  Upon graduation, O’Connor was employed by Standard Instruments in Wichita, Kan., as an aircraft instrument repairman.  While in Kansas, he continued to return home to help out each haying season.  The couple started a family in Wichita.  They had a girl and three boys.

Following a company transfer to Kansas City, Kan., Dolores O’Connor gave birth to a fourth boy.  While working in Kansas, O’Connor never stopped hoping to one day return to his Colorado roots in Nathrop.  His chance finally came in late 1956 when his Dad requested he return to Nathrop to help run the ranch, as the last of his siblings prepared to leave the area to begin their lives.  O’Connor recalled once that he was never so happy to get a call from his father.

He and Dolores loaded up the car and headed back to Nathrop.  About five years later O’Connor’s brother, Gene, began acquiring Standard Oil service stations in the county and asked Bill O’Connor to manage his service station in Johnson Village.

Over the next several years a girl and boy were born. Having more mouths to feed, O’Connor became employed at the Climax Mine.  While there, he worked various jobs, including slusher operator, hangup man, large motor operator and finally electrician.  While working as an electrician, he was promoted to shift boss.  A third daughter was born during those years bringing the total count to eight children.

He retired from Climax in 1983 and enjoyed the next years traveling, working on cars, keeping up the yard and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He loved listening to country music and “cutting a rug,” as he would say, and could even be heard singing from time to time.

He was said to be a gifted story teller and had a quick wit.  He was forever the voice of reason for his children or anyone that visited and was always generous with anything he had to offer.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Gene and Jim; sister, Alice; and son, Patrick.

He is survived by wife, Dolores; children, Cheryl Heyward, of Silver Springs, Md., Tim O’Connor, of Nathrop, Jim (Rosemary) O’Connor, of Glenwood Springs, Bill (Rhonda) O’Connor, of Aurora, Jerry (Donna) O’Connor, of Alice, Texas, Maureen Horvat, of Denver, and Cathy (Scott) Ashley, of Villa Grove; grandchildren, Tara and Ryan Heyward, Callie Duncan, Keefe O’Connor, Chris and Caitlin O’Connor, and Casey and Hailey Horvat; great-grandchildren Tyler Whitfield, Corey Heyward, and Braydon and Aubrey Duncan.

He was a member of Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church and member of the Elks.

A Rosary will be held Friday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. followed by a Mass of the resurrection at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10.  Both will take place at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Buena Vista.  Online condolences may be sent to the family at lewisandglenn.com.

Arrangements are with Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home.

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