CONNOR, Dr. Jerome J. Jr.

Husband, father, grandfather & MIT Professor Jerome J. Connor Jr. passed away on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024, surrounded by his family, at 91 years of age.

Jerry grew up in Dorchester, MA, one of seven children of Jerome and Catherine Connor. Jerry graduated from Boston College High School and went on to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned his Bachelors, Master’s and PhD in Civil Engineering. He was an educator and respected expert on cylindrical and structural engineering.

A pioneer in his field, he went to work at the Army Materials Lab in Watertown designing missile systems during the Vietnam War. Jerry returned to MIT to teach in the Civil Engineering Department, where he became a fully tenured professor and taught for almost 60 years. While on Sabbatical in 1983, he served as the Dean of the Engineering Department at Northeastern University and the Director of the MIT Sea Grant Program.

As an industry leader, he consulted and gave presentations on many engineering projects, including the Hancock Tower glass crisis, Twin Towers in NY, the Parthenon in Greece and many others. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Thessaloniki in Greece and received numerous other awards and certificates. Jerry authored many books on structural engineering and boundary elements that have been translated in countless languages and used in doctoral programs at universities throughout the world. His students number in the thousands and have gone on to serve as educators and industry leaders, building iconic bridges and buildings worldwide.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Barbara (Masse) from Cambridge; they would have been married 66 years this April 12, 2024. In addition, he leaves his six children, Patricia and her husband, Richard from Virginia, Stephen and his wife, Madeline from Arlington, Brian and his wife, Michele from Arlington, Michael and his wife, Christine from Woburn, Mark and his wife, Kathy from Salem, NH and Tracey and her husband, Maurice from Bloomfield, NJ. He is also survived by his sisters, Joanne and husband, Paul from Marshfield, Ann and husband, James from Milton and brother, Paul and his wife, Geraldine from Norwood.

Jerry also leaves 14 grandchildren, Ian, Christian, Jeremy, Timothy, Kendall, Colleen, Elizabeth, J. Patrick, Erin, Tess, Lily, Luci, Kevin and Peter.

Jerry cherished the times with his wife and family, the vacations in Eastham, the time spent in Brewster on the pond and traveling with Barbara to more than 25 different countries around the world. One pillar of his adventures included the time he took a sabbatical from MIT in 1970 and brought his family over to England, sailing on the Queen Elizabeth 2. His six children were the only children on the ship, where the class system still existed, needless to say, they didn’t travel first class. During that year, the family lived and went to school in Southampton, while Jerry was a visiting Professor and taught at Southampton University. The family also traveled by Volkswagen bus throughout Europe during the holiday periods.

On another trip to Ireland 20 years ago, while Jerry was presiding over the doctoral programs at Cork University, Barbara went door to door tracking down and locating the many second and third cousins from Cork Ireland, of which they have enjoyed and maintained very close relationships with over the years.

His services will be held at Keefe Funeral Home, Medford Street, ARLINGTON, MA, across from St Agnes Catholic Church. Visiting Hours will be held on Wednesday, April 10, from 4 to 7pm, and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, April 11, at 10:30am, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, in Harvard Square, 29 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Boston College High School, 150 Morrisey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125.