Maurice "Moe" O'Connor

Maurice "Moe" O'Connor, 71, of Mount Vernon Avenue, Waterbury, died on Tuesday, (September 3, 2002) at Waterbury Hospital. He was the husband of Jane (O'Loughlin) O'Connor. Mr. O'Connor was born in Waterbury on February 10, 1931, son of the late James and Nora (O'Connor) O'Connor. He was the principal of Kennedy High School, retiring in 1987. He was a graduate of St. Francis Xavier Grammar School, Sacred Heart High School, and Marionapolis Prep School. He received his Bachelor's degree from Fairfield University, a Master's from the University of Hartford, and a sixth year from the University of Connecticut. He taught at Croft High School and Kennedy High School. In 1970, he was appointed Vice Principal of Kennedy, and after 12 years, was appointed principal there until his retirement. Mr. O'Connor excelled in many local sports teams, including the City Amateur League, Twilight League, Republican-American Newspaper League, and the Waterbury Indians in Connecticut State Pro League. He was the state indoor half mile champ while at Sacred Heart High School. He was the first track coach at both Croft and Kennedy High Schools, and the first cross-country coach at Post College. He was a former member of the Waterbury Democratic Town Committee. He was a member of the Elks Lodge 265, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Disabled Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 179, the American Legion Post #1. He was an Air Force Veteran of the Korean War. While teaching, he was president of the Waterbury Teachers Association (WTA), and a member of the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) Board of Directors. As an administrator, he was negotiator and Executive Board member for many years for the School Administrators of Waterbury (SAW). He was a communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church. Besides his wife, he leaves two Sons and a daughter-in-law, Francis O'Connor of Waterbury and Sean and Sheila O'Connor of Cheshire; and two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary Ann and Michael Hanley of Hebron and Noreen and Jeffrey Berger of Waterbury; three brothers, Dr. John O'Connor of Boundbrook, NJ, James O'Connor of Miami, FL, Francis O'Connor of Sun City, AZ; two sisters, Mary DiLorenzo of Waterbury and Helen Kramer of Westwood, NJ; and five grandchildren, Christopher and Connor Berger of Waterbury; and Stephanie Samantha, and Danielle O'Connor of Oakville. He was predeceased by a brother, Kevin O'Connor of Bethel. Funeral will be Thursday at 9 a.m. with full military honors from the Murphy Funeral Home, 115 Willow Street, Waterbury, to Blessed Sacrament Church for a Mass at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Old St. Joseph Cemetery, Waterbury. Calling hours TODAY 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions: Dr. John Ciavarella Scholarship, 5 Claudia Lane, Wolcott, CT or Blessed Sacrament School, 182 Robbins Street, Waterbury, CT 06708