Born on Nov. 28, 1922, in Philadelphia to the late William J. and Marie V. (Larkin) Buchy, she graduated from Harrisburg Catholic High School in 1940 and Chestnut Hill College in 1944. In 1946, she married William A. O’Connor, and they made their home in Harrisburg, raising five children and serving as active members in both their church and the community. She volunteered at Villa Teresa, Girl Scouts, and Holy Family Catholic Church’s Mary Maids organization. She was also the last surviving founding member of the Irish Heritage Society. Dottie was a member of Holy Family until she became a resident of Londonderry Village in Palmyra in 2013 and then received care from Holy Spirit Church of Palmyra.
She loved each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and her beloved Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her son William J. O’Connor, her infant brother and daughter in-law Judith O’Connor (Thomas). She is survived by her son, Thomas O’Connor of Williamsburg, VA; and daughters Kathleen Felty (Robert) of Harrisburg, Elizabeth Zimmerman (Timothy) of Denver, PA, and Dorothea Cavallucci (Albert) of Fogelsville, PA. She was Nana to her grandchildren, Brian, Molly, Shannon, Sarah, Erin, Allison, Kara, Alex, Jennifer, Joseph, Jessica, Dante and Dominick; and Great Nana to 14 great-grandsons and 7 great-granddaughters.
Dottie’s family is forever grateful for the love and care the Fake House staff at Londonderry Village gave her – and her family – for almost a decade.
Visitation will be held Thursday, December 8, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. at Neill Funeral Home, 3501 Derry St., Harrisburg, PA 17111. A second visitation will be held on Friday, December 9, 2022, from 10-11 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 555 South 25th, Harrisburg, PA, 17103. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, 4075 Derry St., Harrisburg, PA, 17111.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Samaritan Fund of Londonderry Village, 1200 Grubb Rd., Palmyra, PA, 17078, or to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neillharrisburg.com for the O'Connor family.
