Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
O'CONNOR, Francis J.
O'CONNOR, Francis J. (New Hampton, IA, Mar. 29,1916--Dubuque, IA, March 21, 1990). O'Connor, legal counsel to the ARCHDIOCESE OF DUBUQUE for forty-seven years, also served as legal representative of many seminaries and religious orders. He was a partner in the O'Connor and Thomas law firm since 1940 and served as assistant Dubuque County attorney from 1942 to 1943. A member of the local bar association, O'Connor was a former chairperson of the Iowa Supreme Court's grievance committee. (1)
O'Connor was a member of the exclusive Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews, Scotland, and annually participated in its tournaments. As a member, O'Connor was one of an organization of 1,700 men world-wide that set the rules of golf. Under an agreement with the Links Trust which owned famed St. Andrews Golf Course, the course was closed for one week in May and three in September for the exclusive use of the R & A Golf Club. Members do not join the R & A, they are asked to be members. (2) Locally he served as a member of the board of LORAS COLLEGE, MOUNT OLIVET CEMETERY, CLARKE COLLEGE, DUBUQUE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, DUBUQUE BOYS' CLUB, and the DUBUQUE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB. (3)
As one of a twenty-six member American delegation, O'Connor attended the investiture of Pope John Paul II in 1978 and during 1979 was invited to the White House to meet the pope during his visit to the United States. In 1983, in recognition of his assistance to the church, O'Connor received the Knight of St. Gregory from Pope John Paul II. (4)
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Source:
1. Obituary
2. Lagerstrom, Hal, "O'Connor Takes Game to Scotland," Telegraph Herald, November 4, 1987, p. 29
3. Obituary
4. Ibid.
