John E.
Connor, 76, husband of Janet L. (Brown) of Little Neck, Ipswich and
The Villages, Fl., died Wednesday, November 5, 2014 following a
courageous battle with cancer. John was surrounded by his loving
family at the time of his passing in his Ipswich home.
Born in Winchester, July
10, 1938, he was the son of the late Raymond F. and Claire G. (Makem)
Connor. John was raised in Medford and his family summered in North
Scituate. John
graduated from St. John’s Preparatory High School in Danvers, where
he was one of the Captains of the Football team and co-Captain of
the Track and Field team and was recently inducted into the school’s
Sports Hall of Fame for his stellar performance throwing shot put on
the Track and Field team.
John and his team
won the Track and Field State Championship in 1957.
While attending college,
John worked for his father’s land surveying company. He successfully
surveyed Route 128, Interstate 93 and the Mass. Turnpike. John
graduated in 1962 with a business degree from Merrimack College in
North Andover.
John’s love
for the culinary arts started during his teenage summers when he
worked for Hugo’s in Cohasset. John combined his love for cooking
with his business acumen and successfully opened and operated
several restaurants. The Studio in Gloucester remains open and is a
local favorite. John will be remembered fondly for the gourmet
meals he prepared when he and his wife Janet entertained family and
friends.
In his later
years, John's entrepreneurial skills allowed him to start several
other businesses including a real estate and travel agency. John
and Janet were passionate about leading travel tours to various warm
locales particularly their favorite, the islands of Hawaii.
After retiring to The
Villages in Florida, John and his wife Janet spent time volunteering
for the Reach for Recovery Cancer organization and the Moffat Cancer
Center. At The Villages, John remained active and played a weekly
round of golf and competed in The Villages Senior Games in shot put.
He was also a proud member of the The Villages Celtic Club.
In addition to his wife
Janet of fifty-two years, he is survived by three sons, Stephen of
Methuen, Paul of Bradford and Daniel and his spouse Sanjay Chaudhary
of West Medford; two grandsons Brendan and Alexander both of
Bradford; his two brothers Raymond of Oak Park, IL, Brian of
Wellington, New Zealand and many nieces and nephews. John’s beloved
sister Maria Christine Ogden of Manchester, CT., preceded him in
death.
His funeral will be held
at 9 am Monday, November 10 from the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home,
6 High Street, Ipswich, followed by the celebration of a Funeral
Mass of Christian Burial 10 am in Our Lady of Hope Church, Pineswamp
Road, Ipswich. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed.
Visiting hours are Sunday from 4 to 7 pm. Interment will be in the
Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers
are welcome for the
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 55
Fruit Street , Boston , MA 02114 or the
Care Dimensions Hospice, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite
B102, Danvers, MA 01923 Each organization was invaluable in their
help and care for John and his family.
