Robert Leo O'Connor

Robert Leo O’Connor, 87, of Iowa City, IA, died at7:20 p.m. on November 29, 2006 in Iowa City, IA.   He was born on September 10, 1919 in Galesburg, Illinois the son of Joseph and Harriet Welsh O’Connor.  He married Mary Therese Murray in 1950 in Dubuque, IA.   Surviving are- his wife Mary of Iowa City, IA, 2 sons:  Dr. Thomas (Ruth) O’Connor of Lafayette, IN and Michael (Martha) O’Connor of Omaha, NE;  3 daughters:  Julie (Jeff) Nelson of Mattoon, Mary Jo O’Connor of Davenport, IA, and Colleen (David) O’Connor Richardson of St. Louis, MO.  Also surviving are 14 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.   Robert graduated from Corpus Christi High School, received his BA from St. Ambrose University, a BA in Journalism from the University of Missouri at Columbia, and his MSW from St. Louis University.  He was a social worker, working for almost 40 years at the Youth Bureau in Cleveland, Ohio; State of Illinois Children and Family Services, Springfield; and was a Rock Island Public Schools social worker, retiring in 1989.  He served in the Army Air Corps during WWII in the 12th Air Corps Group Services attached to the 31st Fighter Group.  He was founder and first president of the Rock Island Mental Health Center Board (now called the Robert Young Center).  He was a member of St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church in Iowa City.  He was the recipient of the 1988 State of Illinois Outstanding Educator.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 4, 2006 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Galesburg, with the Reverend Joseph Presley, IC officiating.  Visitation will be from 9:30 –10:45 a.m. at Watson Funeral Home, Galesburg.  Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, with military honors performed by Ralph M. Noble American Legion Post #285.  Memorials may be made to the Iowa City Hospice.