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Terry O'Connor Obituary
Teacher, Golfer, Sports Nut
Terry was born on February 10, 1946 and grew up in Seattle. After a short illness and a life well-lived, he passed away on May 3, 2015. Terry graduated from the University of Washington and taught English for forty-seven years at Nathan Hale, Garfield, and Auburn High Schools. Terry loved golf, Jane Austen, playing the horses, sailing the San Juans, fine food, good wine, failing to pick the winner of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, hockey, sunny weather, and sharing time with family and friends. His favorite spot on earth was Lumahai Beach on Kauai, with Paris and Venice vying for second place. He was a wit, a remarkable teacher, and loved.
Terry is survived by his wife, Janice Watson-O'Connor; his sister, Chance Phillips; brother-in-love, Ronnie Glover; sister-in-law Gayle Watson; nieces and nephews Amy, Pat, BJ, Honey, Wes, Haley, Ameer; great nieces Ava and Elodie; and Ella, the Wonder Cat.
A celebration of Terry's life will take place on Sunday, May 31st,
3 pm - 6 pm, in the Roosevelt Room of the Tacoma Armory, 715 South 11th Street in Tacoma. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Terry's name to the Auburn Public Schools Foundation or other organizations that do good work for children.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Terry O'Connor
Sponsored by The Family.
Clarence Acox
July 6, 2015
I JUST heard about Terry's passing today (July 6). I am shocked. My condolences go out to his entire family. I am SO sorry.
Jon Scherrer
June 7, 2015
Wow - there are so many words and yet none of them seem to fit together here. Both you, Ms. Watson, and Mr. O'Connor made a huge impact on this skinny redhead at Garfield HS. Terry gave me the gift of golf which I still enjoy today and I'm constantly thinking back to his lessons and his sense of humor (which seemed to match mine so well). And you gave me the love for words and the confidence to trust in myself and the process of learning. You are both very close to me even after all these years. Thank you for your love and light that you both gave to the community for so long. You both have made a huge difference, on me and so many others.
Yvonne Burke
June 4, 2015
Dear Janice.
I can't tell you how saddened I was to hear of your loss. My heart and prayers go out to you and your loved ones.
In this time of mourning, I pray that you will be comforted by the Holy Spirit who will wrap you in His loving arms and remind you how loved, you and Terry are by so many and that this will bring you peace.
Please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything that I can do to support you.
With love,
Yvonne Burke
PS-I still miss your presence here at the ESD, greatly!
LaTanya Brooks
June 3, 2015
Janice,
There really are no words to express how sad I felt hearing this news. I can see you being so gracious during this time ~ saying "I'm fine" Well, you may not want to or think to ask me of anything, but I hope and pray you will if you need anything. I think I can make you laugh(smile). Yeah, they say life goes on, but it will never be the same. Maybe my silliness could help ~ smile. I love you to bits. You are one of my favorite people on this planet. So again, I hope if you need me, you will reach out. You know where to find me. Always in my thoughts ~ LaTanya
May 31, 2015
Dear Janice-So sorry to hear about the loss of your husband, Terry. You were always my favorite Administrator in the FP District. I am sure he was a wonderful teacher. You are in my prayers. Kathleen O'Connor
Kim Douglas
May 30, 2015
I had Mr. O'Connor for freshman English, his last year at Garfield. I was a 14-year-old with lofty Writerly Ambitions, and I remember grousing at length and out loud whenever we were assigned a more conventional worksheet or quiz. I am sure I was insufferable...but at some point, Mr. O'Connor told me simply, "Kim, sometimes you just have to fill in the blanks!" He later alluded to this in my yearbook. Decades later, I understand what great advice this actually was; sometimes adult life and responsibility has required a LOT of rote blank-filling-in, but I've managed to make the time to keep writing, keep feeding my creativity, all along. I recently started a new job in the tech writing field, and while waiting for my project to ramp up I thought of this advice just last week, honest to god. I can't count the number of times it's crossed my mind, and can't properly express my gratitude now.
My thoughts are with Mr. O'Connor's family and loved ones. I am so sorry for your loss.
Diane Uphoff
May 30, 2015
Dear Janice,
May your memories bring you comfort as you walk through your loss. Each tear honors your love and relationship. My heartfelt sympathies to you Janice.
Take good care!
Diane Uphoff
Janel Metcalfe
May 29, 2015
I was very sad to see the announcement of Terry O'Connor's death. Mr. O'Connor taught me the basics of grammar and sentence writing my freshman year with patience, humor and style. Ms. Watson picked up where he left off my sophomore year and taught me how to write. Mr. O'Connor finished the process my senior year and contributed further to my development as a writer. While technically not team teachers, Mr. O'Connor and Ms. Watson combined to teach three of the four years of my English instruction at GHS. I directly attribute my decent writing skills and career success to my ability to write. Their impact on my life, career, earning power and success is stunning. I am grateful for the care and fun they both brought to teaching. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May his heart be at peace!
Noel (Holbron) Perry - GHS class of '79
Noel (Holbron) Perry
May 22, 2015
Dear Ms. Watson - I was not a student of Mr. O'Connor's at GHS - I was a student of yours and I remember you well. From what I remember he had a huge heart and was very caring and considerate to more than just "his" students. I suspect that everyone who roamed that campus was affected by the many gifts he bestowed upon us all. His Patience, humor, and passion for his craft and students will never be surpassed.
Wishing you peace to bring comfort, courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your heart.
"Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow." Robert Louis Stevenson
Darcy Sander
May 13, 2015
Mr. O'Connor is remembered for Freshman English and AP English. Inspiring teacher who taught with enthusiasm. It was a joy to be in his class. I am so sorry for the loss of your husband, Ms. Watson.
Kris Davis-Reece
May 13, 2015
Mr. O'Connor will always live in our minds, hearts, paragraphs/papers, and prayers. I wasn't the best student at GHS, yet I am proud to say that I worked very hard for the A that I received in AP English! My thoughts are with your family at this time.
May 13, 2015
OK I want to add one more memory, because it reminds me of the person he was. I was a Junior at GHS. I don't remember what the occasion was, but I went across the street to the sandwich shop at lunch time and bought a six pack of 7-up to share with friends (I have no idea what the hell was the occasion but it was important to me at the time). As I was walking up the back stairs by the pool three kids jumped me and thought it was funny to smash the cans on the ground. I remember being very shaken up. For some reason about five minutes later he was there asking me what happened. He took me to his little convertible (MG, right?) and we drove down the street to the convenience store and he paid for replacement soda. The details - beyond his kindness is lost on me - in hindsight as an adult, it cost him what, $4? But at the time it was one of the kindest things I had ever experienced. I will never forget how he made me feel that day.
May 13, 2015
I'm so very sorry to hear about this. I was thinking about him recently looking him on on Facebook, wondering what he was up to. He had such a HUGE impact on my HS career and I've carried bits >gems< that Terry gave me through my life. His AP English Class at GHS was different than any class I'd ever taken - probably the first time I was able to test myself in really critiquing books (crappy as I was) in a way that felt safe. He was my golf coach for three years and I was so unbelievable bad, but he stuck with me - at the driving range, even playing a few rounds with me that I now realize was just for support. I don't want to get lost in minutia, but there was a 5 iron shot at Jefferson Park that was absolutely a mistake on my part ad probably the best golf shot I ever made - and he was standing next to me cheering me on - to this day it is why I reach for a 5-iron when I don't know what else to do. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's been a memory I've carried with me for 30 years. Taking his reading seminar with Janice and him changed the way I read (and look at Hemingway). So many fond memories. I appreciate everything he did for me.
D.J. Yasui
May 13, 2015
Had Mr. O'Connor as the golf team coach back in 1985, he was a great guy to hit a round of golf with, I sucked but he was kind enough to give me a letter for my letterman jacket. The GHS Class of 1985 will miss him dearly.
May 13, 2015
A wonderful teacher when I was at Garfield.
My condolences.
Mike Thompson 1980 GHS
Chester West
May 13, 2015
I have fond memories of being in his class at Garfield High in the '75-78 years. He was the "fun" teacher. He will be truly missed.
Renae Gaines
May 12, 2015
Heartfelt Condolences to the Family, Mr. O'Connor was one of my favorite educators
David Joyce
May 12, 2015
My favorite teacher at Garfield High (class of 77) Terry was an inspiration to so many. My condolences to the family.
Mary-Jo Pietromonaco
May 12, 2015
One of my all time favorite teachers. My love of desktop publishing and layout is directly linked to our Garfield Newspaper class. RIP Mr. O'Connor.
Carmen Andrews
May 12, 2015
Janice, I am shocked and so very sorry to hear of Terry's passing. My heart goes out to you. Some of my best times at Garfield were spent either in your room, or in Terry's. Both of you were such positive influences in my life. I believe you both have a lot to do with the teacher who I am today. Some of my favorite times in Terry's class were spent working on the Messenger. I can see his bright smile in my memories of those days. He will truly be missed. May you find peace in your time of sorrow. Much love.
Cecelia Sandvik
May 12, 2015
Such great memories of him coaching our GHS Golf Team. Metro Champs in 1983 thanks to all of his hard work. He was a great teacher and obviously cared deeply for all of his students. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Brittni Hayes
May 11, 2015
Mr. O'Connor was one of the best teachers I've ever had the pleasure of having. My gratitude for his positive influence on both my educational path, and life, are far reaching. His spunk, humor, and dedication made ASH a tolerable place for moody teenagers. My thoughts and sympathies go out to his family during this difficult time. Though there seems to be no way to make sense of death, what we can define is a life well lived, and Mr. O'Connor certainly embodied that.
Kelly McDonald
May 11, 2015
I was a student of Terry's at AHS. My heart sank on Teacher Appreciation Day to hear of his passing as he was one of my very best teachers at Auburn High and someone who inspired me to become a university professor for 15 years. His sense of humor, keen appreciation for the spoken and written word and his rigor, discipline and respect in the classroom were inspiring. We did catch a round at the City of Auburn Golf Course once while I was an undergraduate - it was a pleasure to share that time with him and a fond memory. Good speed Mr. O'Connor - my thoughts and prayers to you Janice.
Stacey Killian
May 11, 2015
Mr. O'Connor was my very favorite teacher who showed me the delight of The Far Side and The Wonder Years. I have thanked him in thought and described him many times over the years. Condolences to the family.
May 11, 2015
Hello, Janice...What a shock to learn of Terry's passing. My heart goes out to you, lovely lady. Such a special guy with so many more years ahead. I send you hugs and will keep you in my prayers. My our Lord wrap his comforting arms around you and walk with you each day. I know He has and will continue to send his angels on earth to be with you. God Bless, Linda Heade
Katy Leslie
May 10, 2015
I was so very sorry to hear of the passing of Terry, who was my AP English teacher at Auburn High School. He was a remarkable educator and person. He will be dearly missed.
Krista ParsonS
May 10, 2015
I was a student and then a fellow teacher at AHS with Terry. He was a well respected and beloved mentor and colleague. All who encountered him were blessed by the moment. I wish his family the greatest comfort that comes with good memories and the knowledge that his impact was far-reaching.
Barb Fostrr
May 10, 2015
Janice,
I am so shocked and sorry to hear about your husband's passing.
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