Kevin Joseph O’Connor

PHOENIX – Kevin Joseph O’Connor passed away June 4, 2020, in Phoenix, AZ after a long battle with liver disease. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on Christmas Day 1953 to Thomas Clement and Verna Jean O’Connor (Mendonsa) as the 4th of their 5 children.

He is survived by his mother, Verna Jean, children Aaron Bini and Jessica Elliott, grandson Evan Mirocha, sister Colleen O’Connor, brother Richard O’Connor, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Thomas and his older brothers Patrick Thomas and Michael Francis.

He graduated from St. Mary’s of Redford in 1972 and worked in the Detroit area until 1989, when he followed his two older brothers to Houston Texas. He worked in the glass business as a glazier until he moved to Scottsdale, AZ in 2009.

Kevin will be missed by many. He was a great storyteller and always had a joke or two to tell anyone willing to listen. He had a big heart and would gladly help anyone in need. He learned to find contentment in the small things. A kind soul that loved all living things - from the tadpoles, gerbils and puppies of his childhood, to the hummingbirds in his backyard he trained to land on his finger, to the numerous rescue dogs, including his beloved Moose. He also developed quite the green thumb, nurturing a variety of desert cactus plants, and trying year after year to grow big red tomatoes he remembered from Michigan.

When he was healthy he loved to be active. He was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a loyal fan to former and current sports teams including the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and then the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nascar Racing became a favorite in later years.

Kevin will be interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan and a celebration of his life will be held in Michigan, when country-wide travel is safe.

Memorial contributions in Kevin’s name can be sent to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Arizona.

Address: St. Vincent de Paul, PO Box 13600, Phoenix, AZ 85002. Phone: 602-266-GIVE

Web: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Arizona, stvincentdepaul.net