Patrick Paddy or PJ John Connors

CONNORS, Patrick John Anthony, "Paddy"- 85, of Prospect Bay, passed away peacefully, in faith, with his loving family by his side on June 17th, 2011, at the Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial Building (V6 East), QEII in Halifax where he had been a resident since April 29th. Born in Halifax, he was a son of the late Charles Joseph Connors and Zita May (Hayes) of Herring Cove. Paddy attended St. Mary's college until in 1943 at the age of 17 1/2, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force along with his close friends, Don Moriarty, Pat Brackett, Frank Turner and Carl Mills. He served duty overseas in the Second World War as a Mid-Upper Gunner on a Halifax Bomber, flying active missions until the war ended in 1945. In his younger years he played football for the Halifax Wanderers and spent many summers rowing and competing in 1 and 2-man sculls on the North West Arm from St. Mary's Boat Club. He met Marie Pothier at the old skating rink on Shirley Street (with a little help from her friends) and she immediately fell in love with the handsome young man in uniform especially when he winked with his long eyelashes and said, "Hey Love" to her. Paddy and Marie were married in 1949 at St. Theresa's Church. They raised their four children at the family home on Yukon Street in Halifax where the family whistle could be heard from the veranda calling the children home when supper was ready. He spent 38 years employed by the Government of Canada Postal Service, while also holding a part time position in his early working years with Brinks Limited as a guard on the armoured trucks. With the Post Office, he worked first as a Postal Clerk at the Bedford Row location and then moved on to work on the trains with the Railway Mail Service, a job he truly enjoyed. He then progressed through the organization where he held various positions working with the Security and Investigation Service. He was Inspector-in-Charge, Security, Atlantic Division when he retired in January 1984 at the age of 58. He was highly regarded and respected by his colleagues for his strong work ethics and fairness in his dealings with people. Paddy and his loving wife of 62 years moved to beautiful Prospect Bay in 1980 where they joined many of their close friends in their retirement years. Their happiest summers were spent on their RF-18 boat "Whiffenpoof," where many afternoons they could be found rafting up with friends and family in Whitehorse Cove, Rogues Roost or Cub Basin in time for "cocktail hour" where there was often a song and guitar tune shared along with the hors d'oeuvres. Other days they could be found laying in the sun and warm sands on Hearns Island with a picnic lunch. Paddy loved swimming in the bay, trolling for mackerel, picking mussels at low tide or rowing his punt. He was a great walker and many knew him from his daily excursions with his walking stick in hand around the roads and forest pathways of Prospect Bay, always with a friendly smile and wave. Those who knew Paddy will remember him as a gentle but strong and loyal family man with his kind blue eyes, quiet sense of humour and his love of a good cigar and a game of crib. He was very proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Strong in his faith, he attended St Theresa's Church when they lived in town and later was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Prospect Village. Paddy leaves behind his wife Marie Avril (Pothier); his children, Kevin (Monica) Connors, Lower Sackville; Terry (Mary) Connors, White's Lake; Pat (Susan) Connors, Lower Sackville; and Kate (P.J.) Mahon, White's Lake. Paddy, known as Granddad to some and Papa to others was a big part and influence in his grandchildren's lives and will be sadly missed by Ryan (Lori), Kelly (Scott), Tim (Jodie), Danny (Allison), Melanie, Liam (Amanda), Glenn, Sean, Laura, Sinead and Patrick. Affectionately referred to as "GG," he is survived by his great-grandchildren Hannah, Ava, Charlie and Aden (with another on the way). He is survived by his siblings Paul, Ken, Robert and Barry, of Halifax, and Carol of Vancouver. He was predeceased by brothers Gerald and Charlie and many good friends. Arrangements are entrusted to J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Dr., Halifax (902) 455-0531. Funeral service will be held on Sat July 23rd at 11 am in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (Father Dariusz "Darek" Misiolek celebrating) in Prospect Village with burial in the church cemetery in Prospect immediately following the Mass. The family would like to thank everyone for your kind, caring thoughts, prayers and many words of comfort during our loss and during the recovery of Marie in hospital following her emergency knee surgery at the time of Paddy's death. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, 3709 Prospect Rd., Shad Bay B3T 2B4 or a charity of your choice. On-line condolences may be made at: www.jasnowfuneralhome.com

Knowing our lives a "drowse" towards death-

(Attended by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren)...

How can it not matter that I remember

(day after day)

That one day we shall lose each other,

Lose the lights in each other's eyes...to death,

And drift off to other "universes."

Love shall not save us from being alone at the end,

And the sons and daughter we made

In that fine high exuberance of having found each other,

Shall not save us either.

We shall go off into the ether alone, trying to remember...

(As the threads unravel and the brain cells turn to fluffy cumulus clouds)-

That on clear summer days like this one,

When the Bay was blue and the hills were green...

We bumped along on the "Whiffenpoof"-reminding each other...

"Wake up! Wake up!

This will not last forever!"

-Author Unknown- (Adapted by Marie)