Michael William O’Connor was born Feb. 28, 1943, to Perry and Opal O’Connor in the Panama Canal Zone. He died of pancreatic cancer on Feb. 1, 2021.

Mike grew up in Carlsbad, N.M., and attended New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, N.M. He graduated from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M., in 1964 with a degree in English. He later attended one year at the University of Wyoming Law School, but realized that was not a career he wanted to pursue.

He came to Marfa, Texas, in the early 1970s, first working for Diamond A Cattle Company that owned the Big Bend Ranch. He liked the genius loci of Marfa, and wanted to work for himself, so with his brother Ron, they formed O’Connor Brothers, Inc., selling liquid cattle feed, and he has been in continuous business for almost 50 years.

He also farmed in Presidio, Texas, and for almost 25 years, he had leased the Rosenow Rogers Ranch in Brewster County, where he spent most every weekend tending his small herd of Brite Ranch herefords.

His parents and his brother predeceased him. He is survived by his longtime sweetheart, Liz Rogers, of Alpine, Texas.

His cremation was handled by Alpine Funeral Home. No services are planned at this time, but a memorial will be held Sept. 18, 2021, in Marfa. Marfa Public Library or the Marfa and Presidio County Museum are suggested for memorial contributions.