Stephen Paul O’Connor of Franklin, Tennessee, died suddenly at his home on October 31, 2026, at age 60. 

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Stephen was the eldest of five children, born to Peter and Ann O’Connor. He spent his childhood summers on Clone Beach, County Wexford. There he made friends he kept for the rest of his life. At 21, he moved to the United States, first to New York and then to California. He proudly became a U.S. citizen on October 28, 1999. Stephen loved going home to Ireland and kept up with life in Dublin through regular calls to his mam. He loved to hear the latest from Ashling Heights. Stephen was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. As his family says, “he started with a laugh and ended with a laugh.” The door to his and Teryl’s home was always open. If someone had nowhere to go for a holiday meal, Stephen and Teryl welcomed them to their table. A trained chef, Stephen found great joy in sharing his culinary talents through restaurant work and catering.

 After moving to Franklin in 2009, he was an executive chef for HCA Healthcare at Centennial Medical Center and Southern Hills. He later worked as a home inspector for Nashville Home Inspection. Stephen loved chatting with the fans when he bartended at Bridgestone Arena. Stephen met Teryl while working at New York Food Company, and they married in 2001. He would always remind everyone that Teryl was the love of his life. He was a devoted father and took every chance to tell people how proud he was of his twins, Bailey and Brandon. Stephen took great pride in watching Bailey become an entrepreneur. He admired her ambition and determination as she set big goals and worked to achieve them. He loved witnessing her creativity as she brought her ideas to life—designing and making her own clothes, building her website, and opening her store. Seeing Bailey establish a business of her own meant the world to him. Stephen felt pure joy watching Brandon sing onstage with his band. He was delighted that Brandon is studying audio engineering. The two also shared a love of soccer. Stephen became a Tottenham Hotspur fan when his dad and Uncle Anthony took him to see Spurs play at White Hart Lane. Years later, he and Brandon attended a match in Nashville and later toured Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Stephen proudly passed along what the family called the “Spurs curse.” Stephen loved being surrounded by his family. He adored being “Grandpa” to Tiffany and Matt’s children. He delighted in being with his family whether on vacation in Florida or in the stands at the Nashville Sounds game. Stephen’s favorite pastimes were loving on Pumpkin, cheering on the San Francisco 49ers, golfing with his buddies, and grabbing a beer at Quinn’s with his friend Paul. Stephen is survived by his wife, Teryl, and his children Bailey, Brandon, Tiffany, and Kelsey. He is also survived by his grandchildren Dalton, Olivia, and Abigail, the children of Tiffany and her husband Matt, as well as Teryl’s parents, Mike and Linda Huard, and Teryl’s brother Chris and his wife Terri. Stephen is also survived by his parents, Peter and Ann O’Connor, his sisters Audrey, Suzanne, and Anne-Therese, Anne-Therese’s husband Stephen and their children, Ryan and Shay. His brother Rory and brother-in-law Greg preceded him in death. 

His family and friends will miss hearing his funny stories and his exuberant laugh. He will be alive in their hearts as they continue to tell his stories. Stephen believed in caring for his community. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations in his memory be made to One Generation Away at onegenaway.com.