Leo Thomas O'Connor Jr.

1935 - 2024

Leo Thomas O'Connor Jr.

December 25, 1935 - May 21, 2024

High Point, North Carolina - Leo Thomas "Tom" O'Connor Jr., of High Point, North Carolina, 88, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at High Point Medical Center surrounded by his family.

He was born on Christmas Day 1935 in Syracuse, New York to the late Leo Thomas O'Connor Sr., and Geraldine Marie O'Connor. Raised in Elbridge, New York, Tom graduated high school from Christian Brothers Academy in 1953 and earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Manhattan College in 1957. After college, he served three years in the United States Air Force as a Communications Officer. It was during this time that he took his first flying lessons, and his love of flying began. Later in life he would go on to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, the highest rating given by the Federal Aviation Administration. Over the years, he owned several planes which he always likened to the family car which were used to visit relatives, take vacations and travel for business. While stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, Tom met Mary Elizabeth "Bonnie" Sterne. They were married in 1961 and moved to Hyde Park, New York where he was employed as an engineer for IBM in Poughkeepsie. Tom completed his master's degree in electrical engineering from Syracuse University in 1963. In 1965 IBM became one of the first companies to make a presence in the newly developed Research Triangle Park, so Tom and his growing family relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina. Several years later, Tom and his family moved again when he accepted a two year assignment in IBM's La Gaude lab outside of Nice, France.

Upon returning to the United States, Tom was a volunteer pilot with the North Carolina Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. In his A36 Beechcraft Bonanza "N4370W", he flew countless missions to locate the activated emergency radio transmitters coming from aircraft on the ground. Some missions were life-and-death situations in which he pinpointed the crash site for rescue teams on the ground and others were simply malfunctioning transmitters where he landed, isolated the offending plane and contacted the authorities. He was also a certified flight instructor for single, multi-engine and instrument flying. He loved sharing his passion for flying with his students at Raleigh Durham International Airport. As a member of the Quiet Birdmen, Tom enjoyed spending time with fellow aviators.

In addition to flying, Tom was interested in sailing and joined the United States Power Squadron where he took a multitude of boating courses. With family and friends, he chartered many sailboats taking trips along the coast of North Carolina as well as the Bahamas.

In addition to his parents, Tom is preceded in death by his sisters, Sister Susan O'Connor CSJ and Patricia Eide. He is survived by his wife, Bonnie O'Connor; his daughters, Beth Loy (Marty) of Apex, NC and Cathy Campbell (Haynes) of Cary, NC; grandchildren, Ashley Campbell, Brandon Loy, Cameron Loy and Alex Campbell; brother, Michael O'Connor (Maggie) of Syracuse, NY; sister, Nancy Brown of Syracuse, NY; and many nieces and nephews and their families.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 804 High House Road, Cary, North Carolina 27513, on Monday, June 10, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Inurnment will follow in the church's columbarium.