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We rejoice with broken hearts the loss of our dear Sean who left us Friday November 29, 2024.
Sean is survived by his wife of 53 years, Diane (Beale), his daughters Kellie and Eryn (Carl) MacMillan his very precious grandchildren Aidan (Ashley), Teighan and Orla MacMillan.
Also survived by his sister Christine (Ross) McCollum and brother Anthony (Anita) O' Connor; his brothers in law (MBFAMs) Perry (Sheila) Beale, Tony (Anne) Beale and Mark (Gloria) Beale.
He also leaves behind his many nieces and nephews.
Sean was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Christine (Price) O'Connor and his sister Mary Ann (Bobby) Serda and brother Joseph O'Connor as well as his parents in law Robert and Alice Beale.
Sean was born in Allandale, Pa. and moved to Mobile Alabama at an early age where he lived till his 18th birthday when he joined the Marine Corps with his lifelong friend Greg on October 23. 1967. Sean was stationed in London England in 1968 and met his future wife Diane in 1969. He returned to the U.S. in 1970 for his final tour of duty in Japan and Vietnam.
Sean and Diane married on December 20, 1971, and moved to Los Angeles in January 1972 to begin their life together. Their first child Kellie was born in 1974 and in 1975 they moved to Montreal where he began his new career in the petrochemical industry. Their second child Eryn was born in 1977 and shortly after her birth we moved to Sarnia to begin a new job at the new Union Carbide plant in Mooretown which was later bought by Nova Chemicals and he continued to work there till retirement in 2008. We built a good life in Sarnia and then Camlachie, making many lifelong friendships to this day.
His friends and workmates meant the world to Sean. Sean volunteered for the Red Cross after retiring until he wasn't able, and he loved every minute of this service to them.
We enjoyed our annual trips to Orange Beach Alabama as well as a Mediterranean cruise and Alaskan cruise. His last trip south was in early 2023.
He loved his weekly coffees with his Nova buddies and when he was unable to attend anymore, they changed the venue to his new home at Marshall Gowland Manor which continued till a week ago. I liked to call it 'Tuesdays with Bama" and no words can describe what it meant to his family for Norm to arrange and for his buddies to attend. You all will be forever in our hearts.
We felt like we had won the lottery when he made his new home at MGM. The PSW's, nurses, staff were all amazing keeping him safely under their wings. They made his transition last week as peaceful and comfortable as possible and you will forever be remembered for your kindness and affection to "papa" as they called him. These angels walk amongst us.
Sean passed away on Nov 29 as gently as he walked the earth, and we are so grateful we were with him. As he left the home for the last time on Friday evening, with a light snow falling, he was saluted by a regular attendee at the Manor (Canadian Army retired) and Mike, it was the perfect ending to a life well lived and we will never forget that you honored Sean this way. So, we now say goodbye to our gentle man, my loving husband, cherished and much-loved father and grandfather, brother, MBFAM and family and friend. You will live in our hearts forever till we meet again and as Sean would say "See you on the flip side".
We wish for you to join us in celebrating Sean's life at the Smith Family Centre located in front of Smith Funeral Home at 1576 London Line, Sarnia, on Friday, December 6, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. with words of remembrance at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, you may wish to donate to the Alzheimer Society or the charity of your choice (cheques only at the funeral home please).
And in closing, this is for you Bama!