Joe O’Connor

Joe Darrell O’Connor was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to all who were blessed to know him. He passed away quietly on Thursday, Dec. 15. Joe was 88 years old.

One of 12 children, Joe was born to Lero Obert O’Conner and Itress Fern Cassell on June 12, 1934, in Cedar County, Mo. He left home at 15, and soon moved from the Stockton area to Wichita, then on to Tulsa before settling in Nevada. 

Joe worked most of his adult life in the beverage distribution business, first for Coke, and later for PepsiCo. To his dying day, everyone in Nevada referred to him as “Joe Pepsi." It was a nickname that always made Joe smile, for whenever he was working, he was happiest.

It was while delivering Pepsi to the Daily Mail offices in 1976 that Joe met and fell in love with June O’Connor. They married June 10, 1977, and remained together for 45 years, until June’s death earlier this year. Anyone who knew Joe and June would agree that they were a perfectly matched set. They were like salt and pepper, like apple pie and ice cream or, to quote Forrest Gump, “like peas and carrots.” As they were in life, so they are in death. Joe and his “Junie” are together in all things.

There are so many who loved Joe, more than even he knew, modest man that he was. The world is not the same without his cheeky smile and beautiful blue eyes, forever sparkling with a mischievous twinkle. He was wiser than anyone knew, and perhaps the kindest of humans many of us will ever know. He will be forever missed.

Joe’s surviving natural children are, Randy O’Connor, Debbie Miller, Darrell O’Connor, Darrella O’Connor and Tiffany West. He was sadly preceded in death by his son, Kevin. Stepchildren are Bill Kangas, Kathleen Kangas, Kelly McClure, Dorreen Augustine, and Bethany Dilley. Joe was a loving grandfather to 27 grandchildren.

Surviving siblings are Rose Ann Heath, and Linda Owen. He is preceded in death by his brothers Elmer “Fenton," Marvin Kenneth, Jack Harold, Dale Edward, and Richard “David"; and by sisters, Clara ”Lou” Todd, Della Dean Hoffman, Denzil Dee O’Connor, and Donna “Sue” Blackford.

No services are planned at this time.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.