NATICK: James M. O’Connor, age 74, a retired administrator with the Boston Public Schools, died peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, December 27, 2015, in the care of his loving family at their Natick home. He and his devoted wife, Carmen (Coloma) O’Connor, had just celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary on Saturday.
Born, raised and educated in Arlington, he was a son of the late James and Louise (Briand) O’Connor. Jim entered St. John Seminary in Brighton where he earned his Master of Divinity Degree. Deciding to pursue a career in education, he continued his studies at Harvard University’s continuing education program.
Jim became employed with Catholic University in Lima, Peru, where he tested students for admission to the school. While in Lima he met Carmen and they were married the day after Christmas in 1971. The O’Connor’s moved to Massachusetts and Jim taught with the Lawrence School district while attending classes at Boston College nights. He completed a two-year course of study in statistics and education evaluation systems.
The Boston Public Schools hired Jim as a teacher with the Bilingual Department at English High School and later at Brighton High School. He taught Math and English as a Second Language courses to second language learning students. After several years of teaching, Jim conceived of a plan to benefit the School district’s need to reach out to students from bilingual homes. Bringing his ideas to fruition, he went on to coordinate the Boston Public Schools’ Multilingual Family Center, for which he was the recipient of a citation in recognition of his work from Mayor Menino. Jim was twice called upon by the Boston Superintendant of Schools to serve as Interim Director of the Transitional Bilingual Program, a citywide assignment he accepted with grace. He retired while still coordinating his brainchild in 2003.
In retirement, Jim embarked with renewed vigor on a course to assist his son and daughter-in-law with a business they were establishing. He adeptly handled the books, purchasing duties and any other tasks he might encounter, his favorites being picking up his granddaughters at school, chauffeuring them where they needed to go, and tutoring them as the need arose with their schoolwork. In addition to family trips to Peru when possible, Jim and Carmen also enjoyed an extended trip to Europe after retiring.
He is survived by Carmen, their daughter Carmen G. O’Connor of Natick; their son, James E. O’Connor, his wife Annette, and their daughters, Anastasia L. O’Connor and Rosalina M. O’Connor, all of Natick; two sisters, Louise Bush and her husband Kenneth of Homewood, AL, Carole Malone and her husband Donald of Redmond, WA; and a brother, Edward O’Connor and his wife Anne of Northborough. He is additionally survived by a large and loving extended family.
His funeral will be from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common, on Wednesday, December 30th at 9:00AM with a Mass of Christian Burial in Saint Patrick’s Church at 10:00AM. Burial will follow at Dell Park Cemetery.
Visiting hours will be on Tuesday 2 – 4 & 6 – 8PM. Donations in his memory may be made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or at https://www.stjude.org/give.html.