Dorothy Marie O'Connor

Dorothy Marie O'Connor, age 97, of Toledo passed away on Sunday March 9, 2025. She had been living with her son Tom (her devoted caregiver). She was the first of three children born to Anna and Conrad Erickson (now deceased), her Swedish immigrant parents. They settled in Chicago. Dorothy went to Steinmetz High School and graduated in January 1945, just 5 days short of her 17th birthday. She had taken secretarial and business courses and played violin in the school's orchestra.

She remained in Chicago when her parents moved to Niles, MI, as she had been accepted by the Chicago Symphony's Civic Training Orchestra and didn't want to pass up this wonderful opportunity. Two years later she joined her parents in Niles where she worked as the secretary to the national sales manager of the Kawneer Manufacturing Co. She also played in the South Bend Symphony.

Dorothy married Leo O'Connor (now deceased) in December 1951, and they had 6 children. Moving to Toledo in the 1960's, Dorothy started a custom drapery business and continued playing in local orchestras in Perrysburg, University of Toledo and the Sylvania Orchestra with whom she played her final concert at age 88 as the concertmaster.

After retiring from the drapery business, she had more time to travel going to Ireland, the UK, Scotland, Switzerland, France, Italy, the U.S., Canada and many cruises, and also kept up with all of the family activities. She was an avid reader and became a big sports fan, especially watching golf and pro basketball's Golden State Warriors.(Go Steph Curry, who sent her an autographed photo for her 90th birthday).

She is survived by her children Vickie (Ray) Jackson, Maureen Bodi, Karen DiPofi (Kevin Brender), Gregory, Linda, and Thomas O'Connor, 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

A memorial gathering for Dorothy will be on Saturday May 17, 2025, in the Urbanski Funeral Home a Life Celebration Home 5055 Secor Rd Toledo, Ohio, where the family will be receiving friends from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dorothy's memory would be greatly appreciated. Please send to Sylvania Community Arts Organization, 5725 Main St., Sylvania, Ohio 43560, marked for orchestra fund.