Christendom mourns the passing of former board member Thomas Aquinas O’Connor, MD, who served as a member of the college’s Board of Directors from 1979-1992. O’Connor, who was known for his dedication to his family and his patients, along with his steadfast commitment to the Catholic faith, passed away from Alzheimer’s on Thursday, May 23, at the age of 79.
O’Connor joined Christendom’s Board of Directors in 1979 and faithfully served on the board during the early days of the college through the election of the college’s third president, Dr. Timothy O’Donnell. All of O’Connor’s children ultimately went to the school: Siobhan ‘05, Flannery (Bobby) Lancaster ‘08, and Thomas (Gracie) ‘11. O’Connor was also a longtime Christendom benefactor, who generously supported the college’s mission for over four decades, with a particular focus on expanding the library’s collection.
O’Connor visiting with Fr. Seamus O’Reilly at Christendom in 1996. Fr. Seamus O’Reilly was the brother of one of the original benefactors of Christendom, Dr. Sean O’Reilly, and the uncle of alumni Frank O’Reilly and Maggie (O’Reilly) Ciskanik.
Hailing from the Bronx, O’Connor graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1966 and the University of Buffalo Medical School in 1970. He served in the US Air Force for two years before returning to Buffalo, where he enjoyed a distinguished 42-year career as Chief of Anesthesia at three local hospitals. He was revered as a pioneer in the field of anesthesiology, a tenacious patient advocate, and a stalwart defender of life from conception to natural death. O’Connor was a founder and local chairman of the Right-to-Life political party in New York State and ran for US Congress in 1980. He devoted over 25 years to his personal prison ministry, which involved regular correspondence and visits to prisons and federal penitentiaries. O’Connor was also a brilliant wordsmith, voracious reader, and talented amateur chef who made a lasting impression on all who knew him from patients to prisoners.
O’Connor is survived by his devoted wife of 49 years, Marie, his three children, and his cherished grandson, Finnegan O’Connor. The college is grateful for his decades of service to the mission of Christendom. His legacy will live on through his Christendom-educated children.
May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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