www.canisiushigh.org
33
His Canisius connection . . .
I was a student from 1951-1955 and returned
in 1961 to join the faculty to teach math, ac-
counting and religion. I retired in 1999 to spend
time withmy father who was ill at the time. Two
of my four sons attended Canisius, and now one
grandson will be a sophomore and his brother
will be entering in the fall. You never get away
from the place—not that you want to!
What he’s doing today . . .
We spend 5 months of the year in Buffalo and
the rest in Palm Harbor, on the west coast of
Florida. We’re very happy there.
Why students remember him fondly . . .
I was a pretty tough teacher. I really loved the
kids, though. Once I got a phone call in Florida
from a fella I taught in my first class. My name
had come up during lunch with another class-
mate, and he said he had to call me. I’m pretty
close to that first class (1964)—they have a spe-
cial place inmy heart. They inviteme to their re-
unions, and I’m really not that much older than
them. I also coached basketball for several years.
What he misses about Canisius . . .
I miss having my morning coffee with
friends—the camaraderie and doing puzzles to-
gether.Wewere a very close faculty and stillmeet
once amonth for breakfast. We call ourselves the
“Dinosaurs.” They’re just part of my life.
His favorite Canisius memories . . .
I remembered two assemblies in particular
over the years. One assembly was when Roswell
Park (Cancer Institute) came in to talk the kids
out of smoking. I don’t know if it worked for
the kids, but it worked for me—I never had
another cigarette. It was graphic, the lecture and
the pictures!
Another time, we were called out of class to
the auditorium without knowing why, and
when we got there, and the curtains opened on
stage, it was Cher and the Gregg Allman Band
there to perform. One of the students had con-
tact with Gregg Allman once and asked him to
play, and he did. They were tremendous.
What he would like you to know . . .
Canisius is a unique and different place. I still
go to the golf tournaments and reunions. I thor-
oughly enjoyed all of my 38 years there. I loved
the boys. It was my life. After college, I worked
two years for the phone company, then applied
to Canisius High School and was hired right
away. That was the greatest thing.
#
Bob O’Connor ‘55