Dr. William "Bill" Anthony O'Connor

Dr. William Anthony O’Connor, Sr., Bill, Dad, and Papa was born on December 18, 1939 to William Misner O’Connor and Margaret Klecan O’Connor in Saint Louis, Missouri. He was raised amongst the then untouched fields, which later became College Boulevard and Nall. He was a spirited an inquiring youth with an early intellectual curiosity and integrity that became the hallmark of his life. At a young age, he was affected by polio and but for his efforts to care for the other patients and scurrying to and from their bedside, he may have been more afflicted. He attended and graduated from Rockhurst High School. Music and classic Motown marked the early years of his young adult life as he passed on the Pat Boone and was more in tune with then edgy James Brown and Little Richard. He was respectfully rebellious, a cue for his later life and a recurring theme.

He earned his college degree in a dizzying pace taking at times 60 hours a semester while working his way through school. He was married to Denise Brennan and was loved deeply by her parents and brother Dennis Brennan as well. The couple resided in Overland Park. Spending his sparse free time with his father-in-law Joe and Dennis hunting and family camaraderie. In 1963, his first son was born and proudly given the name of William Anthony O’Connor, Jr. Their second son, Matthew Joseph O’Connor followed in 1966.

Bill earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Kansas and began work as a Psychologist at Western Missouri Mental Health. Then, he became the Director of Psychology at the Osawatomie State Hospital. At Osawatomie State Hospital, he was faced with a seemingly immovable problem one day when a nurse indicated a patient kept banging his head on the glass windows separating the patients from the staff. The injuries were worsening by the day. Bill took action and corrected the problem and asked the staff to stand back. He then picked up a chair and threw it through the window. The patient never had that issue again. More importantly, it signaled a shift in thought that was in sync with trend of reducing barriers between the patients and staff as well as more humane and less punitive treatment regimen. He married Karen O’Connor. Bill enjoyed living in Paola, Kansas with his two daughters Robin O’Connor Fink, Mary Kursten O’Connor Euwer, and sons. Robin was born in 1965 and Kursten in 1970. He was a proud father of all his children and fostered his daughters’ love of horses and often showed Arabians at the American Royal with his daughters close in tow. His children flourished with his kind and steady stewardship that fostered each of their ambitions and hope. Bill raised pigs. Robin and Kursten rode horses. And, Matt raised hell. Each inherited and learned his ability to talk to anyone about anything. His children know no strangers and welcome new experiences and diverse points of view. Bill was, after all, a man that could hang with Black Panthers on a Tuesday and shoe a horse that Saturday. He loved the peace of the acreage that was his home and found time to not only raise Arabians, but also an assortment of chickens, and for a time even a goat. His love of this life was unabashed which resulted in projects ranging from barn raising to gold fishponds.

His career as a psychologist was full and varied. He served as a Professor for the University of Kansas as well as the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine. He had an unusual career : his body of work consisted of both a clinical psychology practice and as well as psychological research. His work in clinical research began while he was at Western Missouri and continued after he left Western Missouri, ending as principal investigator with an NIMH funded project on Prediction of Violence. He ran a full time private practice in Brookside, where he specialized in neuropsychological assessment and PTSD assessment. He extended those assessment skills to prisoners on death row throughout the Missouri prison system and raised the bar on psychological assessment across the state. For a number of years he was appointed by the courts to evaluate high conflict couples going through divorce so that the courts could make a determination as to custody and visitation arrangements and carefully address issues of child safety and protection. He was called on to testify as a forensic expert in courts across the Midwest.

In 1983, he married the love his of his life, Sharon Barb O’Connor who bravely embraced his two sons, two daughters, dog, and cats (one of which had three legs). Bill and Sharon practiced together as Professional Associates, which had offices on the Plaza and then Brookside as well as an office in St. Joseph, Missouri. The couple enjoyed traveling and scuba diving and shared many wonder-filled dives and trips in locations ranging from Roatan to Bonaire. Bill and Sharon shared the trip with “Bob The Tomato” much to the delight of his grandchildren. Bob has also been photographed with Bill and Sharon on a trip with Robin O’Connor and her husband John Fink and son Sam. Bob’s photos from various locale still amuse us and now provides solace in this time of sorrow.

His keen wit and sense of humor provided a soundtrack of laughter that echoes in his children and grandchildren today. Despite his very serious and demanding profession, Bill always put his family first even if that meant dinner with the family and then dictation of forensic reports late into the evening and sometimes morning. He never complained and we, as his children, only years later understand the amazing schedule and sacrifices that he and Sharon made for our family. He had a work ethic that would have sent lesser humans stymied. That was Bill though. He could achieve amazing results out of seemingly inoperable facts and circumstances. Sharon and Bill’s home at 53rd and Oak was the regular spot on Wednesdays and Sundays for his sons, daughters, friends, and whoever happened to be rolling through for a gourmet meal that Bill prepared while still attired in his Dr. O’Connor attire. Spirited conversations rose from the family table as did love and support fostered by Bill and Sharon. It was at this table that we greeted our family members Tavish Euwer, who married Kursten O’Connor Euwer. Bill loved and appreciated Tavish so much. We also embraced and met John Fink at our family table. John married Robin O’Connor Fink. Bill loved John as a son just as he did Tavish. It was also at this table that he welcomed and loved Jacqui, who was married to Bill Jr., and, she continues today to function as a full member of this family. Family was everything to Bill. He stressed often that as individuals, we are the ones to define 'family' and that the definition of family is really much broader than bloodlines; instead, it is more about how we treat one another and care for each other.

The highlight from an objective observer of Bill’s life is rooted in his marriage to Sharon. Bill and Sharon’s love is epic and a testament to the balance and support that a deeply in love couple display as the life partnership which served as a model for their children and grandchildren. Sharon steadfastly remained by his side, sometimes not sleeping for days as she watched over him the last few months. A moment that I will always cherish is seeing Sharon lovingly laying her head at his lap and holding him. The man was bathed in love, truly and unconditionally. We are all blessed by her fortitude and unwavering commitment to see that his life was rich with love and so much joy.

He wrote numerous scholarly articles, one of which he delivered at the International Traumatic Stress Society International Conference in Paris in 1995. This trip marked one of his highlights as he and Sharon traveled with Paul Kapp and Maureen Kelly. He dedicated his book on Ecological Psychology to his children. In hindsight, it’s hard to imagine how he found the time to write a book, raise children, maintain a private practice, write grants for research, and raise Arabians. He was, to say the least, an effective multi-tasker.

Yet, his greatest accomplishment of all rests still burgeoning in the love of his grandchildren. After his retirement, he embarked on his love’s labor creating countless moments for each and every one of his grandchildren. From books about farcical clay figures to animated videos he produced himself with hours of photography, animation, and editing. He was an ever present and guiding figure to all of his grand children: they spent many a joyful day with Bill and Sharon. Jacqui's other children, Robert, Amy and Jenni, too, have had a special place in this family, loved members of Bill’s family, and, remain so today. And, though residing in England now, Robert, Jacqui’s son and thereby Bill’s grandson, remains intertwined in Bill’s life.

He was known by many as Bill or Dad, others as Dr. O’Connor, but his favorite titles were Papa and Papo and his legacy will forever be preserved in the dreams realized by his grandchildren. Papa/Papo, the titles earned by his relationships with his grandchildren, not merely because he was their grandfather, but so much more.

His body left us on February 7, 2014 at 1:20 p.m. He is survived by his brother, Edward O’Connor. He passed with each of his children holding him and Sharon by his side to let him drift to great beyond surrounded by love. Bill will forever be loved by his wife Sharon and his children, their spouses, and grandchildren that honor him each day by doing the good deeds and kindness to our fellow humans that they learned from him. We are all parts of him and the best of him emerges everyday and will forever more as it is passed to the next generation.

Mourning, but celebrating Bill’s journey amongst and with us eternally:

Sharon, Ed, Bill Jr., Robin, Matt, Kursten, Leann, John, Tavish, Jacqui, Leah, Harper, Faith, Libby, Sam, Will, Jennifer, Amy, Robert and Luke.

Nec Timeo Nec Sperno.

The O’Connor Family celebrates his amazing life.

William A. O'Connor Ph.D, died February 7, 2014 at Hospice House surrounded by his family. Besides grandchildren Harper, Leah, Libby, Faith, Sam, Will, Luke and Jenni, survivors include his wife, Sharon and his four adult children, Bill Jr., Robin, Matthew and Kursten and a brother, Edward.

He was born in St. Louis, Missouri December 18, 1939 to Margaret and William M. O'Connor and was the oldest of three sons. He is preceded in death by his father and mother and a younger brother, Eugene.

Dr. O'Connor was a graduate of Rockhurst High School, completed undergraduate work at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, was awarded a degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Psychology and graduated with honors from the University of Kansas in 1967. He was among the few across the nation to graduate from the Boulder scientist-practitioner model, to build a professional career that included psychological research and running a psychology practice in the Brookside area. It included training and supervision of doctoral students as well as psychological, neuropsychological and PTSD assessment as well as individual and marital therapies.

After graduation from KU, Dr. O'Connor continued as a member of the Graduate Faculty in the Clinical Psychology Department in a training and supervisory role of doctoral students, for nearly two decades.

As early as 1980 Dr. O'Connor presented a paper on 'Ecological Models, Family Systems and Beyond' at the American Psychological Association Conference in Montreal, Canada. By 1984, he co-edited 'Ecological Approaches to Clinical and Community Psychology' for the Wiley Series on the ecosystems approach. He served as Primary or Co-Investigator of numerous projects and was published in journals ranging from Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, Law and Human Behavior, International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Psychiatric Annals, American Journal of Psychiatry, Family Process and Journal of Community Psychology.

Dr. O'Connor was also well known across the country for his expertise on the subject of older adults and aging, risk assessment for violence and PTSD. He was a frequent keynote speaker for mental health continuing education seminars. He was also invited to conduct training sessions with attorneys involved in death penalty work in Arkansas, South Carolina and Missouri. He traveled to federal and state prison settings and conducted psychological and neuropsychological evaluation services; he was called to testify about those findings in several high profile cases in Missouri. Of the clinical evaluations conducted with those incarcerated in federal and local jails it was said he raised the bar on assessment and his testimony provided for a more just meting of sentencing.

He was the first psychologist to provide testimony on Duty to Warn and assessment of risk for violence at point of release from a state hospital, in Durflinger-vs-Osawatomie State Hospital in the early 1980's. His focus on clinical research on violence became a more full time focus with funding by the National Institute of Mental Health project, "The Prediction of Violent Behavior," where he was Senior Research Associate for the Greater Kansas City Mental Health Foundation. The NIMH project looked at the interaction of behavioral settings, situational factors and disruption of bonding as contributors to violence in increasing or decreasing acts of violence.

He served as graduate faculty with the University of Missouri School of Medicine and it was through TMC that Dr. O'Connor served as Gerontological Mental Health Consultant for Geriatric Resources Corporation. This was an ecological-based intervention process where a team of professionals made home visits and worked to not disrupt the older adult from his/her familiar setting while working to resolve the problems.

He was also recognized throughout Truman Medical Center and Jackson County Probate Court for his clinical evaluations regarding older adult issues and guardianship/conservator issues.

Dr. O'Connor was well known through the 1980's in the Missouri Division of Family Services and Juvenile Court/Juvenile Offices in or around Buchanan and Jackson Counties for his work on child protection, his clinical evaluations for neglect and abuse and in particular, his expert testimony in behalf of the child.

Dr. O'Connor raised and bred Arabian horses in the farm years of Paola; he showed at the American Royal and through those years, enjoyed traveling the Arabian horse circuit with his children. He also enjoyed 25 years of scuba diving and was an accomplished underwater videographer and photographer; every trips' memories were captured as he returned home to edit and finalize photos for wall hanging and DVD's. His underwater photograph of feather worms appeared in the National Geographic Traveler for the 1995 Calendar, selected from among 26,000 pictures.

Diving became less of a priority as grandchildren came onto the scene and his photography and writing shifted from clinical reports to stories for the grandchildren that he gifted each holiday for those next five years: Whamaby Worgsnortle and the Musical Pig Band, Space Trains, World Adventure Expeditions, The Edge of the Universe and Where is Winston. Every October he would start the process of writing stories, creating the characters out of clay, baking them in the oven and then photographing them in action for the story. When the process was final, he had a soft bound book for each grandchild and a DVD of the book as well.

He was an avid gardener and took great pride in growing tomatoes, all of which he called Bob; they accompanied him on all the dive trips to Bonaire, where he photographed them snorkeling or sunbathing on the deck of the dive boat.

Dr. O'Connor was just known as Bill; he will always be remembered for his generosity of spirit, intellect, keen wit, kindness and soft humor. The family held a Celebration of Life at his favorite restaurant on February 16th and a private graveside ceremony the first day of Spring, March 20th.

You may leave condolences at www.mtmoriah-freeman.com.