Norma Ann O’Connor

Norma left us peacefully after a long and fully engaged life. Born in Flushing, New York to Elliot and Gertrude Reilly Wregg, she was the youngest of three children. In 1950 she married Tom O’Connor, whom she’d met when both worked for the FBI in New York City. Together they had five children, and in 1961 they moved the family to Burlingame where Norma continued to reside until 2014.

After Tom passed away in 1969, Norma took on a series of jobs, including the job she loved for 17 years as an ESL teaching assistant in the Burlingame School District. Her post retirement life was busy and wonderfully diverse. Norma shared her time and energy generously with the Gorilla Foundation, the Burlingame Police Department, Our Lady of Angels Church, and the organization she was deeply committed to, the Adopt A Troop program with the Burlingame Fire Department.

After her children were raised Norma was thrilled to travel extensively to places like Denmark and New Zealand. Her adventurous spirit led her to try skydiving, parasailing and riding motorcycles. She also enjoyed charcoal drawing, crafting and gardening. Physically active until late in her eighties, she was an avid tennis player and swimmer. Norma leaves behind a loving and grateful family including her children Eileen, Jacci (Jay Woods), Amy,

Tom and Beth (Jim Carretta), grandchildren Courtney (Sam Morales), Brian (Carla Willey) and Janelle (Brandon Peden), and great grandchildren Kaia Stover and Addie Peden, nieces Anita (Dick English) and Lynn Whelan (Linda Fish), and nephew Mike Whelan. She was predeceased in death by her husband Tom and her two sisters Anita Whelan and Eileen Bair.

Norma’s children wish to thank the dedicated medical and administrative staff at the Stratford Senior Community and the Mission Hospice Team for their tender loving care and unwavering support of our family during this time.

Norma’s children are also grateful to Olive, a beautiful Hospice Therapy dog and her tender and caring human, Linda.

At Norma’s request there will be a private family celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to America’s VetDogs (www.vetdogs.org).