John Francis O'Connor

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John O’Connor passed away on Thursday March 3, 2016. He was born and raised in Indianapolis, where he began his first of many careers at the tender age of 15 as an apprentice linatype operator with the Indianapolis Times newspaper. He retired after 41 years but quickly grew tired of retirement and began, owned and operated a number of successful businesses including a trucking company, restaurant, hot dog vending carts, and Mister Softie ice cream trucks. John was never a man who could sit still and passed along his work ethic to each of his seven children, all of whom worked for one or more of his businesses throughout their lives. One of his sons said of him, “He’d give a stranger the shirt off his back but make his kids work twice as hard for it. That’s how he passed on his work ethic. It was tough sledding at the time but we are all thankful for the lesson.”
He was a proud Irishman whose hobbies were working and spending time with family and friends. In his younger years he enjoyed music and played the saxophone in his high school band. Following high school he sang in a band then continued to remind his family of his vocal talents by singing every morning, sometimes as early as 4 a.m., as he got ready for work. “The early bird gets the worm!” he reminded his children.
John’s greatest pride was his family. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Geraldine “Dean”; children, John (Brenda), Patrick, Timothy, Dana Happel (Christopher), Barbara Waymire (Thomas), Rusty (Aimee), and Mary Kay McCreary Dunaway (deceased); 14 grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; a sister, Mary Catherine McRoy; and brother, Bernard. He is preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Mary Jane; stepfather, John Layton; brothers, Tom, Dave, Dennis; and sisters, Barbara Mayfield and Jane Taylor.
Visitation will take place on Monday, March 7, 2016 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Daniel F. O’Riley Funeral Home where morning prayers will be said on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. prior to Mass. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11 a.m. in St. Mark Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Concordia Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared with the family at orileyfuneralhome.com.

Visitation:
Monday, March 7, 2016