William H. O'Connor, 83, of Marblehead, beloved husband and father, set sail on his final voyage on June 17th, after years of declining health. He is remembered for his Irish charm, his quick wit, his competitive spirit, and his devotion to his family.

Bill was the loving husband of Mary Jeanne O'Connor of Marblehead with whom he shared 47 years of marriage. He was the devoted father of Courtney O'Connor of Somerville and Meghan O'Connor Pry and her husband, Matthew, of Incline Village, NV.  He was the very proud "Pops" of Connor and Abigail Pry.  He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Bill was predeceased by his brother, Tom, and sisters, Brenda and Sheila.

Born in Boston, MA in 1939, he was the youngest child of Daniel and Marjorie O'Connor.  Bill grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in Dorchester, attending St. Mark's and BC High.  He cultivated his lifelong love of sailing in Hull.  He graduated from Georgetown University in 1960 and then served in the US Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, retiring as a Lieutenant.  He received his MBA from Boston University and then went on to have a long career in state and municipal finance.

Bill was a competitive sailor in 110s, 210s, Etchells, and IODs for over 60 years.  On the water, "Okie" was known to be fiercely competitive (and vocal about it!).  He competed in many local, national and world championships.  Some of his prized victories include the Manhasset Bay Challenge Cup in 1968 and dominating the Etchells Singlehanded trophy in the 1980s.

But it was through skiing that he met the love of his life 50 years ago.  He and Mary Jeanne settled in Marblehead where they raised their family.  He was an extremely dedicated supporter of his daughters in all their activities.  As a family they enjoyed summers at the Corinthian Yacht Club and winters at Sugarloaf.

In retirement he enjoyed skiing and traveling with Mary Jeanne.  He served as an AARP volunteer providing tax preparation guidance.  But by far his favorite role was "Pops" for Connor and Abby.  He delighted in watching them grow.

A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday June 22 ^nd at 11am at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead.  Internment immediately following at Waterside Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Memory Disorders division at MGH https://www.massgeneral.org/ under the designation "Memory Disorders Fund" or to Courageous Sailing https://courageoussailing.org/