In 1984 he moved to Warren, Vermont, where he taught skiing at Sugarbush under Sigi Grottendorfer and established a business as a painting contractor. In 1990 he moved to Lake Tahoe, California, and continued to teach skiing. He became an instructor trainer for PSIA and ran a successful fly fish guiding company as well. He worked as a building inspector and became a master wood craftsman during that time.
In 2004 he moved to San Clemente where he worked in the financial services industry. He moved to North Carolina in 2006 and then back to the Mad River Valley in 2006 where he again worked at the Sugarbush Ski Resort as an instructor trainer.
His last months were spent teaching skiing in Aspen and guiding fly-fishing near Basalt, Colorado.
He is survived by his mother Catherine Craine O'Connor, Jamestown, PA, and his father John Joseph O'Connor of Mount Lebanon PA; his sister Mysie Prentice and her husband Bob Prentice and their children Dillon and Sarah of Matthews, NC; his brother Christopher O'Connor and his wife Jay O'Connor and their children Mack and Patrick of East Hampton, CT. He is survived by his uncle Bernie Craine and his sons Jack and Jim, as well as Jack's wife Diane and their children Tom and Rachel. He was predeceased by a brother, Kerry Bryan O'Connor.
Services will be private.
