Obituary of Gerald Brenner O'Connor

A rare and unfortunately dying breed, the perfect gentleman, lost one of its greats this past Sunday, May 24, when Gerald B. O’Connor, 72, of New Vernon, New Jersey passed away surrounded by his loving wife and four children. When looking for the best words to describe Jerry’s life as the perfect gentle-man, a quote from author Jerry Dollar comes to mind: “It all begins with integrity; knowing who one is, what one stands for, and what one is willing to fight for. To be a gentleman is to know the world around you and the people that make it up. It is a deep felt respect for the thoughts and ways of others. It is to embrace the beauty of humanity, to find the good in all those around you, and to commit yourself to bringing out the best in those you meet while bringing out the best in yourself. . .” In other words, it is to live each day as Jerry did right up and through his last. Jerry began his quest down this noble road when he was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 16, 1942 to Katherine and Paul O’Connor, M.D. He was raised in Newark and West Orange, the third of four mischievous brothers. He was pre-deceased by his younger brother, William F. and is survived by his older brothers, Paul A. O’Connor, M.D. of Verona, New Jersey and Brian F. O’Connor of Summit, New Jersey. He was a proud graduate and supporter of all his alma maters: St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, Newark, New Jersey, class of 1960, The University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, class of 1964, and Seton Hall Law School, Newark, New Jersey, class of 1968. While attending law school at night, Jerry worked during the day as a 5th grade teacher in the Newark school system – a job he always recalled fondly, and inevitably talked about when meeting a fellow teacher. Upon graduating from law school, Jerry left teaching to begin his long and distinguished legal career as a trial lawyer. At the time of his death, Jerry was the senior partner in the Westfield firm of O’Connor, Parsons, Lane and Noble. He practiced exclusively in the field of personal injury litigation with particular expertise in the area of medical malpractice, in which he was known amongst his peers as one of the leading litigators in the State. More importantly to Jerry, however, was that he was known amongst his peers as a man of integrity who was always true to his word and fair in his dealings. He was a fierce advocate for his clients, and had been known to make many an expert witness cower under the piercing look he could deliver over his signature half-moon reading glasses. Jerry loved being a mentor to young lawyers, and returned to the classroom for a decade as an instructor in trial litigation for both Rutgers University School of Law and Seton Hall Law School. He lectured extensively over the years in the area of Civil Trial Litigation for various bar associations, and it was known that his classes would always fill up quickly as attorneys, both young and old alike, wanted to learn from a Master. Jerry was admitted to practice before the bars of New Jersey and New York, as well as the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He was also one of the first attorneys in the state to be certified as a civil trial attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court Board on Trial Attorney Certification. Jerry’s expertise and opinion was often sought out by the New Jersey Supreme Court for whom he served as a past member of their committees on Model Jury Charges, Civil Case Management and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Jerry was one of the Charter Members of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, which group recognized him for his service to the Chapter with an award in 2008. In 1994, Jerry was a recipient of the Trial Bar Award, given for “distinguished service in the cause of justice” presented by the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey. He was very active in TANJ, having served on its board for many years as both an officer and ultimately as its President. Jerry was a Fellow of the American Bar Association, as well as the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was routinely recognized as a Civil Trial Specialist in the publication Best Lawyers in America, and has appeared in New Jersey Monthly Magazine’s SuperLawyer designation since its inception. In his downtime, Jerry loved being with his family and friends at his homes on Long Beach Island, New Jersey and at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida, where he was a member of the Ocean Reef Yacht Club and the Card Sound Golf Club. When relaxing, Jerry could most often be seen with his nose in a book. Jerry is survived by his beloved wife, Patti and the four children he adored, Kimberly Stuermann, Gerald O’Connor, Jr., Sharon Cote, and Katherine O’Connor; his team of son-in-laws, Andreas Stuermann, Charles Cote, and Benjamin Zeidler; and his six loving grandchildren, Dylan O’Connor, Pierce and Sophia Stuermann, and Charlotte, George, and Meredith Cote. Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall of The Church of Christ the King, Blue Mill Road, New Vernon, New Jersey. The Funeral Mass will be held there on Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jerry’s memory to St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, 520 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102