On Nov. 13, Jonathan James O’Rourke, known as Johnny to his friends and family, passed away at the age of 50.
Mr. O’Rourke joins his wife, Patricia, who passed away in 2020. He is survived by his parents, Lawrence and Nancy O’Rourke; his sister, Amy O’Rourke; his nieces Emily and Meghan Campbell; and his nephew, Phineas (Aeko) Campbell, along with a slew of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Mr. O’Rourke moved to Oak Ridge from Gifford, Ill., with his family in 1981 when his father went to work for Union Carbide. He attended St. Mary School, graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1991, and went on to graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Mr. O’Rourke lived in Chattanooga for more than 10 years before moving to Albany, N.Y., to work for the state of New York. It was in Albany that he found a new home and community and met his wife, Patty.
Mr. O’Rourke’s great joys were his friends and family, which included their dog, Susie, and their cat, Daisy. He was a lifelong University of Tennessee Volunteers fan, finding fellow Vols fans everywhere, even in Albany.
From the time he was little, Mr. O’Rourke knew how to stop and enjoy the moment, the people, and the places around him, sometimes to the frustration of his sister, who nicknamed him “Slowpoke” for wandering and stopping every few feet to look at something pretty when they were young and walking to and from school.
During the coronavirus pandemic, when Mr. O’Rourke’s wife suddenly died and everyone was so isolated, he suffered greatly but still did his very best to take care of his friends and people in his community.
While in Albany, Mr. O’Rourke worked for the state in several roles and loved his work and many of the people with whom he worked. His kind heart, generous soul, and fun-loving personality will be missed by all who were blessed to know him.
A funeral Mass for Mr. O’Rourke was held at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge on Dec. 2, with inurnment following the Mass.
Donations in Mr. O’Rourke’s memory can be made to the Albany Humane Society or St. Mary School in Oak Ridge.
