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Robert W. Connor Civic Leader, Dies At 73

Robert W. Connor, Sr, 73, retired Connecticut State Police sergeant, died

September 15 at his home, 80 Main Street, Newtown. He was the husband of Ethel

(Brauch) Connor.

Mr Connor was born in Bridgeport March 4, 1926, a son of the late Thomas and

Anna (Bowden) Connor. He was a resident of Newtown since 1955.

Mr Connor joined the Connecticut State Police in 1954. While a member of the

State Police, he served as a detective and sergeant. At the time of his

retirement in 1989, he was the senior member of the Connecticut State Police.

He was an original member of the State Police Major Crime Squad and a founding

member and past president of the Tri State Organized Crime council. He was a

longtime member of the Litchfield County Detectives Association, the Fairfield

County Detectives Conference, and the Police Association of Connecticut. Mr

Connor was a member of the State Police squad that was assigned to guard John

F. Kennedy during his 1960 Presidential Campaign swing through Connecticut.

During World War II, Mr Connor served in the US Navy and saw action in North

Africa and the North Atlantic campaigns. He was a member of the Disabled

American Veterans.

Long active in Newtown government affairs, Mr Connor served for many years as

head election moderator. He was chairman of the Borough of Newtown Zoning

Commission and a former member of the Newtown Legislative Council. Mr Connor

was a former president of the Newtown Ambulance Association. He served Boy

Scout Troop 70 as committee chairman.

Mr Connor was a communicant of St Rose of Lima Church and a member of

Virgilius Council #185, Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by two sons, Robert W. Connor, Jr, and Roger Connor, both of

Newtown; two daughters-in-law, Linda and Janet Connor; two brothers, Raymond

of Waitsfield, Vt. and Jack of Rocky Hill; and five grandchildren, Robert W.

III, Shannon, Roger, Jr, Eileen, and Sarah Connor. He was predeceased by a

son, attorney Raymond Connor.

Funeral services will be held Friday, September 17 at 10 am from the Honan

Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, and at 10:30 am in St Rose of Lima

Church for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be in St Rose Cemetery.

Calling hours were scheduled for Thursday, September 16 from 6 to 9 pm.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Regional Hospice of Western CT, 30

West Street, Danbury, CT 06810.

The Newtown Bee September 17, 1999