Marcia Louise Huff O'Connor

Marcia O’Connor, formerly Marcia Owens, of Chattanooga passed away Sunday at Memorial Hospital surrounded by her loving family. She was 66 years old. Mrs. O’Connor was retired from Cleveland State Community College, having served for many years as Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, working directly for the President. She also had worked for many years at Chattanooga State Community College as Registrar, having begun her career in the business office of Tennessee Temple University. In retirement, she continued to conduct institutional research for the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy and served as the Vice President of the Chattanooga chapter of USA Dance.

Mrs. O’Connor was born in Harriman, Tennessee. She graduated from Roane County High School, Class of 1967. Mrs. O’Connor earned her undergraduate degree from Tennessee Temple and her Masters Degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

She was a member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Chattanooga. Her favorite activities were being with her grandchildren, ballroom dancing (the swing was her favorite), marathoning and long-distance bike-riding, walking the River Walk, and hosting dances with her husband at their condo overlooking the Tennessee River. She was known for always taking care of others, her positive outlook, her love of her family and friends, and her professionalism at work.

Mrs. O’Connor and her husband were members of Chattanooga USA Dance, Choo Choo Shag Club, Shall We Dance – Chattanooga’s Ballroom Dance Club, Younger Set Dance Club, Ballroom Magic Dance Center, and Dance Tonight Chattanooga. One of Mrs. O’Connor’s favorite memories was of her husband Donald O’Connor, taking her hand and leading her in a dance in a piazza in Florence, Italy, to the appreciation and applause of the local Italians and tourists.

For many years Marcia and her husband, Donald O’Connor, were popular dancers on the Tivoli Theatre stage at the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera’s annual Big Band Fever! event and at Big Band Day at the Chattanooga Market and Christmas Market. Mrs. O’Connor was a Big Band “groupie” who loved to follow Sweet Georgia Sound Big Band and The Uptown Big Band.

Mrs. O’Connor is survived by her devoted husband and dance partner Donald O’Connor, Chattanooga; son Tyler Owens and wife Chrissy, Spring Hill; son Travis Owens and wife Lori, Bremerton, Washington; stepdaughters Mary Ann Bruce, Ooltewah, and Rachel O’Connor, Nashville; stepson Kevin O’Connor and his wife Cherise, Soddy Daisy; thirteen grandchildren; mother Kathleen Huff Baker, Kingston; sisters Cozette Kennamer, Albertville, AL, and Rhia Billings, Rockwood; brother Stanley Huff, Johnson City; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Visitation begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. in The Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul, 214 E. 8th Street, Chattanooga, with an 8:30 p.m. church service. Visitation will also be held Thursday from 1-3 p.m. at Young’s Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1705 Lawnville Road, Kingston. A graveside service will he held at Kingston Memorial Gardens, across the highway from Young’s Chapel, at 3:45 p.m. Thereafter, all guests are invited to eat at Young’s Chapel.

Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel is handling all funeral arrangements.

If you would like to honor Marcia and prefer a charitable donation in lieu of flowers, please donate to “The Donald and Marcia O’Connor Scholarship Fund” at the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy. Donations can be made online at cglaonline.com (under the “Foundation” tab) or by check at CGLA, P.O. Box 3837, Chattanooga, TN 37404.

Arrangements under the direction of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist-East Chapel, East Ridge, TN.