Richard J. O'Connor

Richard James O’Connor, 90, of Pine City, NY, passed away peacefully at Chemung County Nursing Facility on December 11, 2022.

Richard, a longtime Elmira Police detective, was born in 1932 in Elmira, one of five children of Police Chief John J. O’Connor and his wife, Ellen. He joined the Air Force at the age of 18 and served for four years, including a posting in France. Following his military service, he worked for Erie Railroad Security in Buffalo and then joined the Elmira Police Department, where he served for 33 years.

After the loss of his first wife, Matilda Staviski O’Connor, who was known as Tillie, Richard married Hiroko Tolbert, owner of Tolbert’s Market, where he was a regular customer.

In retirement he and Hiroko loved to travel, taking cruises to Bermuda, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean with his brother Mike O’Connor and his sister-in-law Nancy, and joined them for vacations in Maine and Florida. He and Hiroko also went to Japan with the Corning Sister City delegation.

He was an avid professional sports fan and loved the Baltimore Orioles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, by his first wife, Matilda or Tillie, his siblings Patricia, John and Mary Ellen, his second wife Hiroko and step-son William Tolbert.

Richard is survived by two children and three stepchildren: Thomas O’Connor of Elmira NY and Colleen O’Connor Walker of Elmira NY, step-daughter Kathryn Tolbert Dohner of Bethesda MD, step-son Samuel Tolbert of Hagerstown MD, and step-daughter Susan Tolbert of Deland, FL. He is also survived by grandchildren Megan O’Connor, Laura Walker Buell and Erica Walker, two great grandchildren, Myla Brown and Coraline Buell, former son-in-law Joseph Walker, former daughter-in-law Melissa Westervelt, brother and sister-in-law Michael and Nancy O’Connor of North Attleboro, MA and many nieces and nephews.

A special thank you to Jim Mullen and Helen Czajkowski, Bob and June Swithers and the staff at Chemung County Nursing Facility.

At his request, there will be no memorial service. His final resting place will be at Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira NY.