Charles "Bruce" O'Connor

Charles “Bruce” O’Connor was born December 31, 1933, in Syracuse, New York. After graduating high school, Bruce enlisting in the Army, serving during the Vietnam War. Once he was honorable discharged from the Army, he returned to the United States and earned a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from Clarkson University. He worked for several engineering firms over the years, one of those was Morris and Knudson in Boise, Idaho. It was there that he met his future wife, Ardyth Ann Morris. Bruce had no children of his own, but when he married Ardyth, he became stepfather to her daughter, Kelly Cunningham. Bruce travelled all over the world during his career as an engineer, and he and Ardyth also enjoyed travelling together and were able to take many trips to places like Jamaica, Cabo, and Hawaii. They even lived in Columbia for a time while Bruce worked on a coal port build. In 1994, the couple settled in Lebanon, Oregon, where Bruce owned a property. Bruce was an avid snow skier and also enjoyed golf, oil painting, fishing, and hiking. He had a real love for the outdoors. He was outgoing and liked to socialize, making friends everywhere he went. Bruce was quite a character and will be missed by his family and friends. Bruce and Ardyth were married for over 30 years until Ardyth’s passing just a couple of months before Bruce passed on August 6, 2019. Bruce was preceded in death by his parents and one brother. He is survived by his stepdaughter Kelly (Ricardo Duenas) Cunningham; grandchildren Tara Duenas, Ryan Duenas, and Ali Zarrugh; brother Robert; neighbors and close friends Marshall and Catherine Arndt; and good friends Wayne Johnson, Roger Hanson, and Gary Foster. Service information is pending.