Alanna Connors

Alanna Connor, 56, of Arlington, Massachusetts, died on February 2, 2013 at home in the arms of her family. Beloved wife of Phillip Alan Veatch, loving mother of Roy Micah Veatch, Alanna filled all of her life exploring the wonders of the world and sharing smile and caring with friends, relatives, colleagues, and strangers. Born in Hong Kong, where her father, Richard Connors, was based as a pilot for Pan American Airlines, Alanna strived to bring the lyrical patterns of her young Chinese speaking to her later writing and speaking. Her mother, Sonia Connors, raised her children with a wide freedom of artistic expression that was often expressed in dragon murals and song writing. After getting her undergraduate physics degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Doctorate in Astrophysics at the University of Maryland, Alanna went on to make significant contributions to the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. As a longtime advocate of rigorous data analysis, she introduced many people to the joys of Bayesian statistics. Alanna began attending meetings of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1982, dragging along her then reluctant partner and leading to a deep commitment to the principles of simplicity, peace, integrity, and justice that enriched both of their lives. Alanna is survived by her mother Sonia Connors of Arlington, Massachusetts, sister Cynthia Connors of Brooklyn, New York, sister Kathleen Connors of Hau'ula, Oahu, Hawaii, sister Noirin Connors of London, England, and brother Patrick Connors of New York, New York. A celebration of her life will be held at Wellesley Friends Meeting, Wellesley, MA on Saturday, March 2, at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Alannas name to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102.