Obituary of John W O'Connor

Beloved husband, father, Pop, brother, uncle, coach, and friend.

John Beaver O’Connor of Newton, NJ (West Orange) passed away February 12, peacefully at home. 

Born in Newark, New Jersey, John moved to his beloved West Orange, NJ in 1941 at 10 years old.  He served in the Korean conflict, mainly shooting basketballs in Germany for the American team before being honorably discharged and settling into his lifelong career at the West Orange Recreation Department where he met and married the love of his life, Arlene, while she worked at Colgate Park in the summers between college semesters.

In his spare time, Beaver (the Beav) loved coaching basketball and baseball with the local CYO, the Our Lady of Lourdes Grammar School, and the West Orange PAL well into his 80's.  He also refereed many high school basketball games and was part of original refereeing crew for the fledgling WBL New Jersey Gems in 1978.  But what he loved to do most of all was spend time with his grandchildren.  

He was as much a coach in life as he was in sports with equal success in both and generations of West Orange and Lourdes kids benefitted from his contributions.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Arlene (Blake), children Jennifer Manzella (Joseph), John (Jodie), and Lori Boryeskne (Kevin), his grandchildren Nicholas (and his wife, Samantha) and Vincent Manzella, Cameron and Alex O’Connor, Katie, Michael, and Meghan Boryeskne, his great grandson, Joseph Connor Manzella, and was predeceased by his grandson, Gerard Manzella. 

Visitation will be Friday, February 16, 2024, from 3 PM to 7 PM at Dangler Funeral Home 340 Main Street West Orange, NJ.   A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, February 17 at 11 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, 1 Eagle Rock Ave., West Orange, NJ.  Entombment will follow at Gates of Heaven Cemetery, Ridgedale Ave., East, Hanover, New Jersey.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the West Orange PAL (PO Box 71 TCB, West Orange, NJ 07052) or the West Orange Mayor's Program for the Uniquely Gifted. (66 Main St., West Orange, NJ 07052).