Obituary of Thomas P. O'Conor, Jr.

Thomas P. O’ Conor Jr., 68 years, of Peabody died Monday July 28, 2003 at the Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital after a brief illness. Mr. O’ Conor was born October 19, 1934 in Peabody son of the late Thomas P. and Anna Maria (Keaveny) O’ Conor. He was raised and educated in Peabody. He graduated from Peabody High School Class of 1951. In 1960 he received a B.S. from Salem State College with a dual major in English and Social Studies. Then in 1962 he received his Master of Education for Secondary School Education and in 1973 his P.H.D. in Educational Administration from Boston University. Mr. O’ Conor served in the Massachusetts National Guard Reserve Unit - Artillery from 1957 to 1964 and was an Operations and Intelligence Specialist Instructor - Field Artillery at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. Mr. O’ Conor began his working career in 1960 as a substitute elementary school teacher of grades 7 & 8 in Peabody also a substitute high school teacher of English and Social Studies in Salem. During this period he was also employed from 1963 to 1965 at L.F. Lyle Company in Boston. In 1966 he became an administrative intern at Meadowbrook Junior High School in Newton public schools. From 1971 to 1972 he was a senior staff member of center for education leadership at the Ford Foundation project for urban superintendency. From 1969 to 1983 Assistant Director of Personnel and from 1983 to 1993 as Assistant Superintendent of Schools of the Newton Public Schools, from 1998 to 1999 as Interim Specialist Assistant/Personnel of the Peabody Public Schools. 1999 to 2000 as OPIS-Select North America consultant in Wakefield retiring in 2001 as an Executive Consultant of the World Wide Educational Access in Boston. Mr. O’ Conor was a student scholar and lover of Ireland and it’ s history and a connoisseur of fine arts and architecture of the past and present. He was a dear friend of the mind, heart and spirit to many friends in his loved City of Peabody and all the persons he touched with his dear life. Mr. O’ Conor was affiliated with the American Arbitration Association, the National Association of Educational Negotiators, the American Association of School Personnel Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Suburban Boston Affirmative Action Collaborative and Reading is Fundamental-White House Initiative’ s Executive Board. He was the recipient of the Salem State College Varsity Club Hall of Fame award in 1991, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 11 and a member of the Peabody Park Commission both in Peabody. As hobbies he enjoyed reading, sports and involvement with people. Mr. O’ Conor is survived by a sister and her husband, Marie and Donald Prisby of San Diego CA; a sister-in-law, Elizabeth O’ Conor of Buffalo Grove IL; 13 nieces and nephews, 21 grand nieces and grand nephews, many close friends and colleagues. He was also the brother of the late John B. O’ Conor. As per his wishes there will be no visiting hours and his burial will be private. Arrangements by the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St., Peabody (978-531-0398). Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Library Memorial Fund at St. John the Baptist Elementary School, 19 Chestnut St., Peabody, MA 01960.