The obituary of a York, Maine, man is getting plenty of attention for its humor-infused celebration of his life.
Chris Connors died last week at 67 “after trying to box his bikini-clad hospice nurse just moments earlier,” according to the obituary published to seacoastonline.com.
Speaking to necn over the phone, his daughter, Caitlin Connors, said he came up with the idea a few months before his death.
She said, “It's going to make people laugh and bring people together."
The obituary touches on humorous parts of his life, saying, “Most people thought he was crazy for swimming in the ocean in January; for being a skinny Irish Golden Gloves boxer from Quincy, Massachusetts; for dressing up as a priest and then proceeding to get into a fight at a Jewish deli. Many gawked at his start of a career on Wall Street without a financial background - but instead with an intelligent, impish smile, love for the spoken word, irreverent sense of humor, and stunning blue eyes that could make anyone fall in love with him.”
It added, “Throughout his life, he was an accomplished hunter and birth control device tester (with some failures, notably Caitlin Connors, 33; Chris Connors, 11; and Liam Connors, 8).”
Connors said since the obituary has been gaining attention, more than $10,000 in donations have been made to the Chris Connors Fund for water safety.
U.S. & World
Chris Connors was a scuba diver and started the search and rescue program in York, Maine, training firefighters how to perform water rescues. This summer there will be a free day at the beach to train people in CPR and learn other life safety tips.
His family is having a celebration of his life at the York Harbor Inn on Monday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Since the obituary went viral, they have been hearing from strangers who want to join the party.
