About Two Floors Above Grief: A Memoir of Two Families in the Unique Place We Called Home by Kevin M. O’Connor
When was the last time you played in a casket room? Removed a dead body from the bed in their house? Practiced playing the organ in a funeral home chapel?
These experiences were some of Kevin O’Connor’s experiences living with his family in apartments above their family funeral home business.
As a child in the 1950s, Kevin O’Connor knew his house was different than his friends.
A stately, three-story, nineteenth-century Victorian. His bed was tucked next to a stage in a former ballroom. His uncle and aunt lived with their three daughters on the floor below. A massive electric organ stood stately in a corner of the first-floor mortuary business. Stacked caskets and an embalming room filled the basement.
Nobody had a house like his.
Set from the 1920s to ‘80s, Two Floors Above Grief is full of fascinating details and anecdotes about his upbringing as a funeral home child, brought to vivid life through a compelling collection of letters written by various family members who lived and worked together at the O’Connor Funeral Home in Elgin, Illinois. Blending the twenty-four-hour business of death and its constantly ringing phone with joy experienced through music, radios, pets, backyard basketball games, co-parenting, faith, and celebrations, O’Connor offers a reflective tale affirming the love of family and embracing life.
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Author Bio:
How did Kevin O’Connor’s childhood in a funeral home lead to a respected career as a teacher, principal, and university instructor? In his book, “Two Floors Above Grief,” he relates stories rooted in the histories of families and friends. He traces through genealogical records, writing, and picture and letter collections. His writing includes personal letters, articles in professional publications, dissertations, anthologies, and presentations delivered at conferences, seminars, and webinars. He brings people together personally and professionally. Collaborating with friends and relatives, he plans family and class reunions. He sings and performs in theaters. He is active with SMART Ride, a bicycling group that rides annually from Miami to Key West, raising funds for HIV awareness, treatments, and education. He was an elementary teacher, principal, professor, and curriculum coordinator in California, Illinois, and Florida from 1973-2020. In his final educational position, he authored content and provided training in areas including support for substitute teachers, LGBTQ advocacy, and Sexual Health/Family Life. He resides in Ft. Lauderdale with his husband, Leon. Their family includes five sons and seven granddaughters.