O’Connor, Theodora “Pippy” (Rooney) of Wellesley, passed away Nov. 15, 2016. Loving wife of the late Robert J. O’Connor. Survived by her sons, Robert J. O’Connor, Jr. of Needham and Edward T. O’Connor of Cohasset. Sister to John J. Rooney, Jr. of Fredericksburg, VA, the late Clexton Rooney and the late Barbara M. Rooney. Devoted grandmother of Liam Phelps O’Connor and Brigid Phelps O’Connor and of Scout Pippy O’Connor and Campbell Ruth O’Connor. Born to John J. Rooney and Dora (Clexton) and raised in Jamaica Plain.
Graduate of Girls’ Latin School, Class of 1948 and Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education, Tufts University, Class of 1952. Accomplished amateur golf player and life-long athletic coach, including at Beaver Country Day, Palm Beach Private School, The Winsor School, Wellesley Middle School, Harvard University (Radcliffe), and Noble & Greenough School. 1947 WGAM Junior Girls’ Championship winner, 1955 Bermuda Ladies’ Amateur Championship winner, U.S. Women’s Open qualifier multiple times in the late 1950s and early 1960s, 1955 Cuban Women’s Amateur Championship Semi-Finalist, 1955 WGAM Association Championship Winner, competitor in numerous tournaments in the region. Past Member of USGA Junior Girls’ Committee, Chairperson of WGAM Junior Golf Committee, Board Member of WEGA, Founder and Chairperson of the Annual Independent School Girls’ Golf Classic, Founder and Coordinator of the Charles River Country Club Junior Golf Program. Recipient of WGAM May Jackson Award, Southeastern Massachusetts Golf Association Award for Contribution to Junior Golf, and Northeast Women’s Sports Hall of Fame Inductee.
Funeral from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St. (Rt.16) on Saturday at November 19, at 8am followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Paul Church, Wellesley at 9am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting hours in the funeral home on Friday from 4-8pm. Interment in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to The WGAM Pippy O'Connor Fund, 300 Arnold Palmer Boulevard Norton, MA 02766.