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Two Floors Above Grief
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 tucked next to a stage in a former ballroom. His uncle and aunt lived with their three daughters on the floor below. A large electric organ in a corner of the first-floor mortuary business. Stacked caskets and an embalming room in the basement.
Nobody had a house like his.
Meet Kevin
Author, Speaker, Facilitator
Kevin O’Connor enjoys chronicling the stories of families and friends through tracing genealogical histories, writing and picture collections. His prior writing includes personal letters, articles in professional publications, dissertation, 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 near his home. He is active with SMART Ride, a bicycling group that rides annually from Miami to Key West, raising funds for HIV treatments and education. He was an elementary teacher, principal, professor and curriculum coordinator in California, Illinois and Florida from 1973-2020
He references further connections to this book, continues his stories, and highlights perspectives about his interests on this website.
About the book
Book Highlights
Introduction
Two Floors Above Grief
“Many of the stories come from 700 pages of letters saved by my parents and me… either handwritten or typed on a variety of materials, including notepads from the Royal Garment Company, the provider of a selection of dresses for deceased females to wear at their “showings.”
Chapter 10
Two Floors Above Grief
“During WWII, the sharing of food stamps allowed each family to make the most of the rationed items allotted to them. The two families worked together for the benefit of all.”
Chapter 5
Two Floors Above Grief
Chapter 8
Two Floors Above Grief
Chapter 15
Two Floors Above Grief
“Starting with my birth in 1950 through the early ‘70s, cribs were set up at various locations on the second and third floors. Depending on the occasion, as many as four to eight children under the age of ten may have been in the house.”
Chapter 9
Two Floors Above Grief
“Throughout my life, my second-floor sisters impacted me with a continual source of love, care, and support. The relationships my brothers and I had with them only served to intensify the uniqueness of the bonds between the families of the second and third floors.
Keep on appreciating your brother and sister relationships.”
Resources
Photos From the Book and More
These are photos that are in the book. There are also additional photos from our family history.
Family Tree
This family tree representation is also contained in the book. The tree is designed as a way for readers to connect the names of characters mentioned in the book’s stories with family lineage and history. Five generations are represented in this...
Book Club Guide
Suggestions for General Discussion Stories in Two Floors Above Grief: A Memoir of Two Families in the Unique Place We Called Home beg to be read aloud. Read your favorites in your group or to a family member or friend. Share which stories or...