William D. O'Connor Jr.

Holden/Marlborough – William D. “Bill” O’Connor, Jr., 89, passed away peacefully at UMass Memorial Medical Center – Memorial Campus, Worcester, on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. He was born in Worcester, the son of the late Beatrice (Jordan) and William D. O’Connor, Sr. Bill, as he liked to be called, graduated from North High School in Worcester and served in the United States Army. Bill began his career at American Steel Co., where he met and fell in love with his future wife, Nancy. Bill later dedicated over 30 years of service to Wyman Gordon Co., retiring as a production planner in 2000.

Bill and Nancy were married in 1960 and made their home in Holden, where they nurtured their four children, enjoyed their extended family and cherished 63 years of marriage. Bill was a family man who took great pride in supporting his children and eventually their children and great-grandchildren in everything they were passionate about. Bill was a man of great faith and an active member of St. Mary’s Church in Jefferson. He was an enthusiastic baseball and football fan and in retirement, became an avid reader, often claiming to have read every book in the Gale Free Library.

Bill will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his devoted wife of 63 years, Nancy (Johnson) O’Connor; his son, William D. O’Connor III and his wife, Amy, of Holden; his daughters, Anne Carver and her husband, Paul, of Marlborough, Mary Cahill of Marlborough, and Amy Friend and her husband, Ted of Leicester; his grandchildren, Nicholas, Katelyn, Meghan, Samantha, Alexandra, Rebecca, Matthew, Sebastian, Madison, and Max; his great-grandchildren, Declan, Harper, Maeve and Nora as well as several nieces, nephews and very close friends.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 23, 2024, at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, at St. Mary’s Church, 114 Princeton St., Jefferson. Burial will be private at Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, please use this memorial ID#23908362 for William.