James E. O'Connor

James E. O'Connor

From the time Jim was born, a native Montanan, in Helena in 1946, he lived and loved the Big Sky Country. After having been adopted by his parents, Charles and Velma O'Connor they made several other Montana cities their home, but he spent most of his pre-college years in Butte. His father, being a golf pro, initiated Jim into golf at a very early age and it became his lifelong passion to perfect his swing, to understand the newest technology available in equipment, and to play all the best golf courses.

Jim played on the University of Montana golf team for three years. He was also a member of the Chess Club, Table Tennis Club . . . and the Luge Team but never made a run. He did this while pursuing a degree in Pharmacy with the long-term goal of a career in Medicine. His friends claim he took every award the pharmacy school offered to their dismay. His medical school dreams were altered when he decided he wanted to stay in Montana, so he began his graduate training in Psychopharmacology. During this time he received his registered pharmacist license, and a marriage license. He married his soulmate, Jeannine Warner, another pharmacist in his class, in 1970. That turned out to be his "longest drive, (52 years)".

He interned and then went to work in Palmer's Drug in Missoula. Jim highly valued his tutelage in community pharmacy under the owner Palmer Cronin. It was said that, "You know you're a Missoulian if you've been to Palmer's Drug and gotten penny candy from Palmer using a penny given to you by Jim." Palmer taught him how to avoid the "sand" traps of running a business and when Palmer retired Jim took over ownership and ran the business until 2021.

Jim and Jeannine did everything together. He loved the outdoors and that took them hiking to the backcountry and high mountain chalets and lakes of Glacier and Yellowstone Park, as well as rafting and canoeing on Montana rivers including a weeklong trip down the Missouri. Of course, golf was part of the outdoors. They were members of the Missoula Country Club and especially valued their friendship with Skip Koprivica, who was on the U of M golf team with Jim.

Jim was a man of precision whether in filling prescriptions, playing golf, playing chess, earning Life Master title for bridge, choosing vehicles to drive, or generally organizing his life. He even dabbled in the intricacies of Lego Technic sets. He never swung a club without programming his brain for the perfect swing until Parkinson's slowly took that skill away from him. He was diagnosed in 2000 and approached it scientifically searching for and trying leading edge treatments. He looked at it as, "How do I get the ball in the hole based on where it lies?"

Jim and Jeannine spent many weekends with family and friends at their condo in Bigfork, playing golf at Eagle Bend and enjoying the ambience of the Flathead Lake area. Longer vacations were spent traveling the world, hiking and playing golf in Ireland, Mexico, and exploring Machu Picchu. Thanks to their avid attendance at U of M MOLLI classes, they were encouraged to explore Egypt. Jim became intrigued with Egyptian archeology and kept up-to-date with any new discoveries. No matter how far they traveled, they always looked forward to coming home to Missoula to the enthusiastic welcome of their dogs and cats.

Oh, and those Grizzly games. His love for the Grizzlies took him to every men's and women's basketball game at home and even some away, to be part of the cheering crowd until his health prevented him from attending. Football games were part of his enjoyment too, but usually watched on TV while working Saturdays. Go Griz!

As the Parkinson's took more control of his mobility and voice he continued to enjoy so many of his favorite things: putting from his motor cart, hiking at Water Works Hill, and guiding the assembly of Lego sets, along with eating out at his favorite restaurants. Jim's family would really like to thank all who were kind, patient, and willing to lend a hand when Jim needed help with getting where he needed to be or sharing his ideas.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Velma O'Connor. He will be sorely missed by his wife, Jeannine O'Connor, and Jeannine's sister Carolyn (David) Flynn, Boise, Idaho, his niece, Suzanne (Brad) Wolfkiel and sons Tyson and Traeger Wolfkiel of Boise, Idaho, and his nephew, Roger (Michelle) Flynn and children Malcolm, Mackenzie and Isaac Flynn of Tempe, Arizona. The kids will miss many a night playing Wizard, Chess, assembling hot Lego cars and, of course, playing golf with Jim.

As no services are planned at this time, we would like to encourage you to pull up a stool and have a beer in the clubhouse after a round of golf in memory of Jim. We know he will be keeping score and cheering loudly for you.