Joyce Passetti O’Connor

December 1, 2023

Joyce Passetti O’Connor passed away peacefully on December 1, 2023, after being diagnosed with vascular dementia in April. Born at the home of a midwife in San Francisco’s North Beach on July 2, 1931, Joyce was the beloved only child of Dominic and Clara (Brunamonti) Passetti, whom she adored. The family moved from San Francisco to San Mateo, where Joyce graduated from San Mateo High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State College in 1953.

Joyce started her career as a reporter at The Palo Alto Times in 1953, and remembered “writing about weddings in the morning, and obituaries in the afternoon” in her cub days. She worked her way up to editor, and during her tenure in the 1960s and early ‘70s, was able to change the face, tone and content of the paper’s “Society Section” to reflect the shifts in women’s roles and family structure. Although her staff did cover Bay Area arts and debutante balls, they also wrote in depth about women’s involvement in the Civil Rights and Vietnam Peace movements, the push for the Equal Rights Amendment, and the drive to lower the voting age to 18. On several occasions, Joyce went to bat against male editors to successfully convince them that such topics were indeed worthy, cutting-edge news.

Lifelong friend and colleague, Bay Area columnist Loretta Green, only had weekly newspaper experience when Joyce hired her and recalls, “She had the task of getting me up to daily paper pace. I remember how she would look over and snap her fingers rhythmically at me like a conductor quickening the tempo.”

Joyce left the Palo Alto Times in 1974 shortly after marrying the love of her life, Bay Area sportswriter, Dick O’Connor. Joyce and Dick split their time between homes in Menlo Park and Aptos, where they absolutely loved to entertain. Joyce was famous for her homemade cannelloni, whiskey pudding and the ability to turn any occasion into a fabulous celebration.

During their 29-year marriage, Joyce and Dick traveled the world, playing golf and enjoying fine wine and food along the way. Though Dick did not share Joyce’s passion for opera, she loved knowing that he would always be waiting for her outside on the steps after a performance. After Dick died unexpectedly in 2003, Joyce became a first-time dog owner and moved back to San Francisco, where she volunteered with the San Francisco Opera and became reacquainted with the city of her birth, walking for miles with her dog Mimi, named for her favorite character in La Bohème. In 2010, Joyce and Mimi moved to Oakmont in Sonoma County, where she found a welcoming community filled with new neighbors to cook for. She became an active member of Star of the Valley Catholic Church and Playreaders while still making time for travel (China, Ireland and the Panama Canal) and frequent solo trips into San Francisco for opera, symphony and theatre. Joyce is survived by stepdaughters, Kerry O’Connor of Redwood City, and Erin O’Connor-Tetreault (Bob) of Henderson, Nev. Erin and Kerry would like to thank Joyce’s caring friends and neighbors for their loving support, along with the staff of Arbol Residences and Anchor Hospice in Santa Rosa.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 18, 11:00 a.m, at Star of the Valley Catholic Church, 545 White Oak Drive, Santa Rosa. Luncheon reception to follow at Fairview Valley of The Moon Country Club, 7025 Oakmont Drive, Santa Rosa. Gifts in Joyce’s memory may be made to Star of the Valley Church (Doughnut Sunday Ministry) or Dogwood Animal Rescue Project, 1415 Fulton Rd., Suite 205-432, Santa Rosa, 95403 dogwoodanimalrescue.org