Mary (Fran) O’Connor August 6, 1930 – December 9, 2018

Born in Texas but moved to Alabama by her parents while an infant, Fran always considered Huntsville, Alabama her home of origin, and was an avid supporter of The Crimson Tide.

After attending Southern Methodist University and the University of Mississippi, her life’s career was raising her five boys while volunteering at schools and other institutions wherever she might be. Her marriage to Bill O’Connor in Huntsville resulted in her relocating to Merritt Island, Florida; Brussels, Belgium; Sandy Hook and Norwalk, Connecticut; and finally to Raleigh, North Carolina.

In addition to volunteering at a number of schools, she also volunteered at hospitals, including as a lay chaplain at Wake Med, the American Cancer Society, HopeLine and more than 25 years delivering Meals on Wheels in Raleigh. Fran was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She was a devoted Christian and a kind and loving person who brought joy to many people during her lifetime. She enjoyed playing bridge and traveling. While living in Belgium, she and Bill traveled across most of Western Europe and Scandinavia and her favorite location, the British Isles.

After moving to Raleigh in 1983, she and Bill continued to travel to Europe on several occasions and also visited Israel, Egypt, Greece and the Greek Islands and Turkey. A trip to the Far East included China, Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Bali.

She is survived by her husband, Bill and sons, Jack Randolph (grandchildren Whitney Alexandra Walling (Eric) and Anna Courtney O’Connor), Jeffrey Richard (Sheree) and James Daniel (Pam) and grandson Andrew Robin O’Connor.

She was preceded in death by two sons, John Robin O’Connor and Michael Hamilton O’Connor.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Raleigh on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Her ashes will be interred at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama with her parents and two sons.

Donations in Fran’s memory may be made to the charity of choice or Meals on Wheels in Raleigh.