By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam
John O’Connor, the swim coach who led Branford High School to 15 Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) state championships, died peacefully at home on May 23 at age 80.
Born in New Haven on September 16, 1944, O’Connor was raised in Fair Haven. He met his wife, Jean Charlotte, at age 18. They married in 1966 and built a life together in Branford, sharing 58 years of marriage until Jean’s passing this past December. Together, they raised two sons, Jeff and Sean, and took great pride in their four grandchildren: Paul, Daniel, Rowan, and Meaghan.
O’Connor graduated from Wilbur Cross High School before attending Southern Connecticut State University, where he was a standout swimmer, earning All-American honors and setting school records. He completed his BA, MS, and Sixth-Year Certification at SCSU.
He began his professional life as a special education teacher in West Haven and Branford, eventually serving as the school psychologist at Branford High School for nearly three decades. He was also an advocate for educators, serving as president of the Branford Education Association for several years.
In the pool, O’Connor coached the Branford High School boys’ swim team from 1975 to 1993, leading them to six CIAC state championships. He also guided the girls’ team from 1980 to 2007, capturing nine more state titles over his 27-season tenure. Under his leadership, Branford swimming produced more than 200 All-State athletes and 12 All-Americans.
Beyond the high school teams, O’Connor helped establish the Branford Stingrays swim program and spent many summers as Pool Director at the Pine Orchard Club. In recognition of his legacy, the pool at Francis Walsh Intermediate School was named in his honor in 2006. A year later, he was named National High School Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association.
O’Connor was also highly involved in the Branford community outside of the aquatics realm. He served as vice-chairman of the Board of Education, was a longtime member of the Branford Counseling Center and Walsh Intermediate School Building Committee, and was inducted into both the Branford Education Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Coaches Hall of Fame.
Visitation will be held today, Friday, May 30, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home in Branford. A funeral service will follow on Saturday, May 31, at 10 a.m. at St. Therese Church in Branford.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the John and Jean O’Connor Scholarship Fund through the Branford Community Foundation.
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