Lee Wells (Brillant) O’Connor, 77, of Hernando, FL., passed away peacefully surrounded by family at her daughter’s home in South Kingstown, RI., on January 20th, 2022
Lee was born in Sharon, Massachusetts to the late Henry Wallace (Bud) and Barbara E. (Glastetter) Brillant, on March 25th, 1944. Her early years were spent exploring the woods and ponds of her hometown where she developed keen appreciation of solitude, nature, and animal care. Often, she would find and rescue injured birds and small creatures to bring home. Lee became one of seven children and shared a room for many years with her sister Candace (Candy), who remembers her as a caring, considerate sister and roommate who took on the responsibility of second mother to her younger siblings, even while attending school and working. To avoid wearing her older sister’s hand-me-downs, Lee learned to sew clothes, for herself and the other children, to keep them all in the latest fashion. As the daughter of a Grand Master Mason, in 1957 Lee was proudly indoctrinated into The Rainbow Girls.
Lee and Richard started dating in 1960. Richard graduated Stoughton High School in 1961 and shortly after enlisted in the United States Navy. Lee graduated Sharon High School in 1962 and married Richard Joseph O’Connor on December 30th, 1962 in Sharon, Massachusetts. Together as newlyweds, they left for San Diego Naval Base where they had their first daughter Colette O’Connor, now of Halifax, Massachusetts, in 1964. After Richard was discharged from service, the family moved back to the East Coast where Tracey (O’Connor) O’Grady, now of South Kingstown, was born in 1968. In 1976, Richard and Lee purchased a 250-year-old farm and property in Plympton, MA., where they did the work of renovating spaces to raise horses, cows, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, dogs, cats, organic gardening; all while both worked full-time. In 1992, after their daughters were grown and married, Richard and Lee moved to Florida to continue working and enjoy a more tropical, social, carefree, lifestyle.
Lee was well respected for maintaining an exemplary home, which meant keeping up with Richard. He loved to garden so she made sure he ate well, on time, stayed hydrated and, when he went back outside, she re-cleaned the white carpets. It is a great source of family pride that Lee took astonishing care of all she had, for example, the copper-bottom Revere Ware pots and pan set she received as a wedding present still look brand new although she used them most every day. She continued sewing so that Richard could be a “snappy dresser” and became an accomplished sewer, creating stuffed animals, quilts, pillows, clothing for friends and family that will be cherished by all who received them. Through the course of her working careers, Lee worked as a skilled Accountant/Bookkeeper, Bank Teller, Administrative Assistant, and carried over those skills to maintain house finances and immaculate records keeping.
Lee enjoyed volunteering at The Inverness Moose Lodge, and attending the VFW and Eagles, where she and Richard were both avid dancers. She also loved traveling to see family and internationally, especially loved was Aruba and Mardi-Gras in Trinidad/Tobago. Among her favorite things were visits with Tim & Shannon, a day at the races, snorkeling, boating and Taco Tuesday with Curtis & Jan, tropical SCUBA, Just Cuz karaoke, sharing time with beloved pet, Lola, shopping with Jan, Disney trips, camping with Kathy and Gary, doing puzzles, reading detective novels, and talking/texting her daughters/grandchildren.
Along with her parents, Lee is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Richard J. O’Connor, who died on October 6, 2020; brothers Henry (Jay) Brillant, Jr., Russel (Rusty) O. Brillant, and sister Corrine (Brillant) Stagnaro. Those left to cherish her memory are her siblings: Candace N (Brillant) Teague and her husband Raymond Teague, John R. Brillant, Denise A. (Brillant) and her husband David Lathers; sister’s-In-Laws, Barbara J. (Schubert) Brillant, Carol (Halpin) O’Connor, and Barbara M. (Jones) Brillant; daughters: Colette M. O’Connor and Tracey A. (O’Connor) O’Grady, and her husband James O’Grady; and her six cherished grandchildren, James, Ryan, Leigha, Briana, Dylan and Colin. Lee is loved by her many cousins, nieces, and nephews, and will be dearly missed.
A Celebration of Life is being held on Thursday, March 24th, 2022 at 3:00 PM, at the Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home. Friends and family are welcome to gather in Lee’s memory during that time and share stories, memories, and fellowship with her loved ones at Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness, FL.
Lee will be laid to rest with her beloved husband, Richard, in Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
Add Comment