John Thomas O'Connor, 87, a resident of the Town of Union Vale, died on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

Born on January 10, 1922 in Port Jefferson, NY, John was raised in Longford, Ireland. He proudly served our country in the US Navy during World War II as a rear gunner in a Grumman Avenger Torpedo-Fighter, becoming a Chief Petty Officer in the SeaBees out of Floyd Bennett Air Base in Brooklyn.

Following the war, he worked his way up from a NYC "Subway Sweep" to a NYC Housing Inspector, then Building Inspector and Assistant Chief Engineer, retiring as Superintendent of Inspection in Manhattan. John T. and his partner, John Ingolia, were in charge of inspecting construction work at the World Trade Center but were removed by the Port Authority after the completion of the "Bath Tub", which may have saved much of dowtown Manhattan from being flooded on 9/11/01, due to their insistence that NYC's (strict) Building Code be adhered to.  In1962, he helped form the NYC Association of Building Inspectors with the intention of removing graft from this professional civil service branch. During the sixties, he served as a captain of the 23rd Electoral District & 11th Assembly District as a Democrat ( Queens Democratic Club). He earned his B.A. in Political Science from Queens College in 1978.

John served as a Building Inspector for the Town of Union Vale and as NYC Code Enforcement Officer, implementing changes to the International Building Code. Later, he was elected as a Republican to the office of Town Councilman in Union Vale, a position he held until his death. John was also critical to the development, funding and actual building of both phases of the Church Alliance Housing in Millbrook and the Catholic Mens' Shelter in Newburgh.

John was a parishioner of Blessed Kateri Church and a member of the VFW in Millbrook, Knights of Columbus, Holy Name Society in New York City and Ancient Order of Hibernians, Dutchess County Division. He was a member and past president of the Kevin Barry Irish Club in the Hudson Valley. He was a member of the Union Vale Rescue Squad where he helped arrange for the paid Emergency Ambulance Service.

In 2000, John T. and his lovely wife, Bernadette, were the first couple to be declared "Seniors of the Year" by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging. They were both also recognized for their long marriage by the Archdiocese of New York and Pope John Paul. They were married on May 1, 1948.

In addition to his wife of 61 years, Bernadette, John is also survived by his children, Sean E. O'Connor of Ruby, NY, Maureen Topscher and her husband, Al of Las Vegas, NV, Rosaleen O'Connor of New York City, Brian T. O'Connor and his wife, Patricia of Bethpage, NY, Michael O'Connor and his wife, Angela of the Town of Rye and Sheila Dickeson and her husband, Doug of Poughquag; as well as 13 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Kevin O'Connor.

Calling hours will be held on Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at Blessed Kateri Church, 1925 Route 82, LaGrangeville followed by interment in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla with military honors.

Memorial donations may be made to the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 27 High Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.