Clara O’Connor Whitesboro October 6, 1923 – May 16, 2019 Clara O’Connor, the eldest of 3 siblings, and daughter of Etta May Inman and Kenneth Vedder, went to be with the Lord on Thursday evening, joining her late husband Robert O’Connor of Whitesboro, and welcoming a sweet ending to a life well lived. Growing up in Frankfort, she was known as “one fiery redhead,” unafraid to speak the truth. From the time she was young she learned to be strong, and by default taught others to be strong around her.
While she enjoyed dabbling in the finer things in life, Clara gravitated towards life’s simplicity, consistently putting her faith at the forefront of her being. She taught herself an incredible amount of talents, becoming skilled in pattern making, knitting, and sewing. Working as a Physical Therapist at the Eastern Star Home for 20 years, she also excelled at gardening, keeping an army of Christmas cacti alive.
Maintaining a regular offering of her famous spaghetti sauce and peanut butter cookies made it simple to visit for hours. Despite the difficulty of marrying a stubborn Irishman, Clara embraced the challenge and remained married sweethearts for 62 years. Enjoying countless family trips to Florida and the Cape, she had a great love for the ocean and a courageous longing for adventure.
Traveling into her 90’s, she bravely explored the hills of West Virginia and the Wild West to visit adoring grandchildren and great-grandchildren. An avid reader, she never stopped growing to learn new things and her life was marked by genuine appreciation and positivity. Her influence that will never be lost as we remember her lessons and above all her words: “You’ve got to have faith.
I don’t care what it’s in, but you’ve got to have faith in something”. She is preceded by brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Shirley Vedder, Bill and Lavina Vedder, and sister and brother-in-law Ida Mae and Peter Burke, along with brother-in-laws Harold O’Connor, Edward O’Connor, Donald O’Connor, Albert O’Connor, William O’Connor, Miles O’Connor, Clifford ‘Mickey’ O’Connor and sister-in-laws Betty O’Connor, Janice O’Connor, Marylou O’Connor. She leaves behind countless family members and friends, including daughter Juanita Hajjar and fiancé Kevin Scherer of Buffalo, son Robert O’Connor of Oriskany, daughter-in-law Mary O’Connor of Whitesboro, grandchildren Symon and Princess Hajjar, Mandy Hajjar, Nadia Hajjar, Amber and Justin Benoit, Meghan and Matt Hartwell, Colin O’Connor and fiancée Bethany Noble, and Garrett O’Connor, and beloved great-grandchildren, Callista and Kairi Benoit and Isaac and Ezra Hajjar.
She also leaves behind her brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws Thomas and Pat O’Connor, Raymond and Rosemary O’Connor, Irene O’Connor, and Dorothy O’Connor and many loved nieces and nephews. In addition, she leaves behind Niem Hajjar, whom she loved like a son. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 10:30 AM from the Dimbleby Funeral Homes Inc. Forty Main St. in Whitesboro and at 11:30 Am at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Whitesboro where a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated.
Interment will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Whitesboro. Family and friends are invited to call on Monday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Global Gardens, a non-profit that “Gram” simply loved. For online expressions of sympathy please go to www.
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