Jeremiah John o’Connor

1947-2015

Jeremiah “Jerry” O’Connor, 67, of Sugar Land, Texas, died October 22, 2015, at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. Jerry was born in Peoria, Ill., on Nov. 10, 1947, a son of Gerald and Patricia (Crowley) O’Connor. He graduated from Spalding High School and attended Bradley University, both in Peoria.

Jerry and his first wife, Nancy Schopp, ran a successful Tupperware distributorship in Peoria for many years before the corporation promoted him to management at its headquarters in Orlando in 1987. A decade later, he took a job with a nonprofit in Mobile, Ala., where he met Joyce Marchand. They married on June 17, 1998, and settled in the Houston area in 2007.

Jerry had wide-ranging interests, including photography, flying, baseball, reading and technology. In addition, Jerry was an artist and had pieces displayed in art galleries across the country.

Jerry displayed an indomitable spirit for life, always optimistic and positive with friends and family in spite of his health challenges. In a conversation with one relative a few days before his death, he said he had done everything he had set out to do in life and had no regrets. Among his last joys was attending an Astros playoff game with his wife.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, Jer (Emily) O’Connor, Erin (Jarrod) Bell and Dennie (Amy) Smith; three granddaughters, Taylor, Payton and Alessandra; and five brothers Mike (Janet) O’Connor, Dan O’Connor, Matt (Marie) O’Connor, Paul (Karin) O’Connor and Steve (Kathy) Capitelli.

A memorial service will be held at the Ecclesia Church in Houston on November 13, 2015 at 3:00. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Living Water International or the National Kidney Foundation.