John I. O’Connor II, 67, of Farmington, MO, formally of Pittsburg, KS, died at 1:25 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at the University of Arkansas Medical Center following a brief illness.
John was born on December 10, 1954 in Fontainebleau, France and was the son of John I. and Jacqueline B. (Steeby) O’Connor.
John graduated from Washburn University with his JD in 1980 where he went on to practice Insurance Defense Litigation and Management Employment Law in Pittsburg. During that time, he served on Pittsburg’s city commission for two years, one of those years as mayor. After he left his practice is 2005, John became a professor at Pittsburg State University, teaching Constitutional Law. He was of the Catholic faith. In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his family, reading, and writing.
Survivors include his partner, Kay Barre of Little Rock, AR; children Ryan O’Connor and wife Susie of Blue Springs, MO; Neil O’Connor and wife Kristal of Olney, MD; Benjamin O’Connor and wife Kindra of Webb City, MO; and Maureen (O’Connor) Ganson and husband Chad of Blue Springs, MO; grandchildren Crystal O’Connor, Rory O’Connor, Brozden O’Connor, Jaxon O’Connor, Kiara O’Connor, Aidyn Pranker, Van Ganson, Connor Ganson, and Liam Ganson.
John was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Michelle O’Connor, and companion Judy Green.
Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at the Timmons Chapel on the campus of Pittsburg State University. Fr. Robert McElwee will officiate the service. Burial will follow at the Columbarium at Timmons Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family asks expressions of sympathy to be in the form of memorials to the American Juvenile Diabetes Association. Friends may drop off or mail memorials to the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home at 522 S. Broadway Pittsburg, KS 66762. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Arrangements and services are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg, KS.