Maurice "Rick" Patrick O'Connor

Rick O’Connor, 74, was renowned for holding court. Wherever he was – whether on the golf course, in the office, at a poker game, or around the dinner table – people were drawn to his bold, gregarious, and pot-stirring spirit. Perhaps it was his easygoing smile and booming laugh, his fierce intelligence, or his penchant for crafting whoppers, but Rick was most comfortable when commanding an audience.

Born Maurice Patrick O’Connor on September 19, 1950, to Patricia (Santucci) and Michael O’Connor, he grew up in a tiny house in Thorndike, Massachusetts. His mom and dad worked a lot, so Ricky, as he was known then, often took charge of his two younger siblings, Michael and Kerry (Kielbasa) O’Connor. Rick was a multisport athlete, an altar boy, and extremely close to his grandparents, but he mostly preferred the company of the local ladies and rabblerousers - and sometimes the police.

By 17, he’d outgrown the working-class mill town and enlisted in the United States Marines. Rick turned 18 on the flight to Vietnam. As a Private First Class, Rifleman in the 1st Marine Division, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, E Company, Rick survived the horrendous firefight at Khe Sanh, lost his best friend Leroy Nesmith, endured exposure to Agent Orange, and took a bullet to the shoulder. In 1970, Rick earned honorable discharge. Despite the horrors, his favorite stories about Vietnam involved shenanigans on leave and pranks played in foxholes.

He met Coral-Jeanne (Clifford) O’Connor, a nurse and single mother, at a party. They wed in 1977 at a quaint non-denominational church. Without delay, Rick permanently adopted their son, George. Rick and CJ settled in Texas and welcomed a daughter, Patricia, a year later.

Rick led his own landscaping companies in Texas and Massachusetts before helming an upstart cellular phone company in Maine founded by his father-in-law. A primarily self-taught, business-minded savant, Rick ushered Unicel through several mergers and acquisitions, eventually serving as Senior Vice President of Rural Cellular Corporation, a multi-state entity. He oversaw more than one hundred Unicel retail stores across the country. Later, Rick served on the Board of Directors of Powertel, a wireless carrier now known as T-Mobile. His charitable endeavors continued throughout his life, including serving on numerous public boards in Maine and donating to various education and community funds. Rick’s favorite charity was always Toys for Tots, sponsored by the U.S. Marines. He proudly placed and filled countless Toys for Tots boxes annually, both personally and through his businesses.

Rick and CJ built a vibrant life together. After living in Bangor, Maine for several years, they moved to Florida in 2004. During this decade, their son George and his wife Michelle (Moran) welcomed three children: Casey, Brady, and Madelyn. Their daughter, Patricia, later extended the O’Connor clan with Coralynn and Lincoln. Rick was a terrific grandfather. He generously planned family trips to Africa, Colorado, Idaho, and Disney World. He never missed baking a birthday cake for CC and Lincoln or attending their school events. He regularly traveled north to celebrate Casey, Brady, and Maddy’s achievements both on and off the playing field. However, his favorite day was Sunday, when he’d hold court on the lanai and field phone call after phone call from his grandchildren and countless nieces, nephews, and their children, all of whom considered Rick their dad too. Rick was the best kind of patriarch - thoughtful, caring, sharp-witted, generous.

Rick’s friendships mattered deeply to him, too. He had a twinkle in his eye and a boisterous personality that drew people into his circle wherever he went. Rick and CJ loved hosting dinner parties; Rick did all the cooking, while CJ set the beautiful table. He often prepared special toasts or stories or jokes to commemorate the occasion. He was known to “drop a bomb” into a conversation - something controversial, usually - then sit back and chuckle at the fireworks as friends battled it out.

Rick loved travel, especially to Civil War sites, Tahiti, and Alaska for fishing. He loved his cats, Zeke and Flossie. He loved golf. But mostly he loved his wife, his family, and his people. All of us.

Rick O’Connor died from cancer on October 24, 2024. We’ll remember him during a special Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, November 11th at the Classics Country Club at Lely Resort in Naples, Fl at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages attendees to bring unwrapped gifts for children of all ages which will be donated to Toys for Tots.

Semper Fi.