Roderick O'Connor

RODERICK PATRICK O'CONNOR

Cedar Rapids

BEIDH SIAD LINN GO BEO

Irish, "He will be with us forever"

Roderick Patrick O'Connor, named after the last king

of Ireland, was born in Cork, Ireland, on March 9, 1944. He attended school at Christian Brothers College CBC.

At the age of 15, he joined the Merchant Marines and sailed around the world on mostly Maersk Lines, a Scandinavian shipping company. He came to the United States in 1962, lived in Boston, working for John Hancock. Coming west, he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and Santa Fe. He and Sharon met in 1967 and were married for 48½ years. He worked in trucking over the road in Iowa, as well as locally in Cedar Rapids.

Rory came west to Vancouver, Wash., in 1989, and worked for Albertson's. He drove semi trucks for 40 years before retiring in October 2011. He had many stories to tell and a great sense of adventure and learning. Rory made the room come alive with his presence. His hobbies were researching aeronautics and shipping. He was a member of the Railway Historical Society. Space travel consumed his latest interest as well as history.

His father was John Joseph O'Connor; mother, Kathleen Angelton O'Connor of Cork, Ireland; his brother, Stephen O'Connor of South Africa; his sister, Mary of India; and his brother, John Joseph O'Connor of England, preceded Rory in death.

We knew Roderick as Rod and Rory.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Kay Smith O'Connor of Brush Prairie, Wash.; daughter, Shannon Kathleen O'Connor of Portland, Ore.; and son, Rory Sean (Kerry) O'Connor of Portland. He had four grandchildren; granddaughter, Demi; and grandsons, Andrew, Connor and Logan. He is also survived by his brother, Raymond Angelton of Boston, Mass.; his sister, Geraldine (Charles) De Jesus of Boston; and his sister, Pamela (David) Bowden of Cork, Ireland. He is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews residing in England, Ireland, the United States and South Africa, as well as many friends throughout the world.

Rory's impression on us will be forever and his humor resides in his children. He will always be loved and dearly missed. We lost him on July 6, 2016, in Vancouver, Wash.

"You are my strength and my courage. You are the wind in my sails."

A wake/memorial service will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 30, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7101 NE 166th Ave., Vancouver, WA 98682.

Rory's friends were very special to him. Thank you for being one of those special people.