Shannon O’Connor, recently of Yankeetown, Fla., passed away Jan. 31, 2012, after a sudden illness.

Formerly of Marlborough, he and his beloved wife, Sally (Sullivan) O’Connor, had recently fulfilled a long-held desire to move south.

Born on Jan. 11, 1954 in Peterborough to C. Gerald and Jacqueline (Burt) O’Connor, he spent his childhood in Rindge and graduated from Conant High School in Jaffrey in 1972.

While in high school he worked as a breakfast cook at The WoodBound Inn, and then joined the U.S. Army.

He attended Plymouth State College and UNH.

He later earned a N.H. Real Estate License and became the youngest member of the Monadnock Board of Realtors.

Shannon was a successful merchant, managing several local businesses, including Plotkin’s Wayside Furniture in Keene and Furniture For Less in Swanzey.

He and his wife were partners in The Country Gentleman, a landscape design company.

He enjoyed working at home as an adult foster care provider for over 10 years.

Shannon was celebrating his recent acceptance into The International Butler Academy in The Netherlands, where he was due to begin training in the spring of this year.

Shannon worked as a nursing assistance for hospice at HCS in Keene, and also most recently in the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center in Crystal River, Fla.

He is survived by three children, Lisa Truden O’Connor and Kevin O’Connor of Bailey Island, Maine, and Kristin Burkard of Long Island, N.Y. and six beautiful grandchildren.

Those who knew and loved him are requested to do something of personal significance to remember him in their special way.

Private cremation will take place under the direction of Brown Funeral Home & Crematory in Lecanto, Fla.