Adrian J. O'Connor

1954 - 2023

Adrian J. O'Connor

Adrian J. O'Connor passed away peacefully at home on January 16, 2023, after a long battle with kidney disease and cancer.

Adrian was born in 1954 in Jersey City, N.J., the son of the late William and Lillian O'Connor. He graduated from Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, N.J., Class of 1972, and went on to Randolph Macon College where he received his Bachelor of Arts in History. Adrian then earned his Master's Degree in History from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He retired in 2020 as Editorialist and Editor for the Winchester Star after nearly 40 years as a journalist. Adrian was a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Winchester.

He married Antonia "Toni" Korb on October 3, 1998, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Winchester, Va.

Adrian is survived by his wife, Toni; sister, Esmé O'Connor Pitard (Pete) of Hot Springs, Va.; nephews John Michael Jenkins of Virginia Beach, Va., William Clay Jenkins of Hot Springs, Va., brother-in-law, Daniel B. Korb (Tracy) of Stafford, Va.; nieces, Danielle and Lynn Korb of Fredericksburg, Va.; nephew, Alexander Korb of Stafford, Va.; goddaughter, Maria Kinard Wines (Scott) of Delaware, Ohio; and goddaughter, Chloe Pangle of Winchester, Va.; friends-like-family "Little Brother" Nakoma and his mom, Mollie. Adrian began his journalism career at small newspapers in South Boston, Va. and Emporia, Va. He then moved to the Danville Register and Bee as a sports writer and on to the position of Editorial Page Editor and then to features before moving to Winchester and The Winchester Star in 1992.

An avid sports fan, Adrian coached Little League teams, officiated at countless basketball games, watched copious amounts of ESPN on television and played golf when he could. He played one season of baseball at Randolph Macon College where he considered himself a "good bench sitter."

A dedicated historian, Adrian was the author of several books about his "hometowns", including River City: Stories of Danville; Southside Revisited: More Stories; From Paden City to the Panhandle; and, Remembering Winchester, Virginia: The Best of Valley Pike. His final book, Voices of Winchester: World War II Veterans will be published in April 2023.

In college he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity and was elected to serve on the Faculty Student Committee for Resources and Plans.

Adrian was a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus in both Danville and Winchester. He was an active member of the Winchester Rotary Club where he most recently wrote articles about past presidents for the club's 50th anniversary. He was on the boards of One Book One Community, Kids Voting and the Blue Ridge Foodbank. He was a faithful member of the Wednesday Club, a familiar face having breakfast at Golden Corral. He was a member of the Newtown Heritage Festival Committee in Stephens City, Va., and served as President for six years.

Family and friends will be received on Monday, January 23, 2023, from 2 until 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church, Winchester, Virginia. Interment will be in Montgomery Memorial Park in West Virginia on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.

Serving as pallbearers will be John Anderson, Steven Bird, Robert Ford, J.W. Pangle, Thomas T. Byrd, and Bernard Baker.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Adrian to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 4110, Glen Allen, VA, 23058 or C-CAP, 112 So. Kent St., Winchester, VA 22601.

Please visit obituaries and tribute wall at www.ompsfuneralhome.com.