Carrie L. O'Connor

The life's journey of Carrie Lynn O'Connor ended following an accident on September 14, 2020 in a city she loved, Boston, MA. Carrie was born on August 19, 1982 in Attleboro, MA and is survived by her parents Daniel and Christal O'Connor of Williamsburg, VA, her brother and sister-in-law Philip and Sara (Lynch) of Richmond, VA, beloved kitties Apollo and Artemis, and loving Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins.

Carrie graduated from Jamestown High School in 2000 and attended Virginia Tech where she earned a BA in French and a BS in Accounting and Information Systems. She then continued her studies in French language and literature in Vermont and Paris France, where she completed an MA in French from Middlebury College. After working in the field of Student Exchanges in Washington D.C., she went to Louisiana State University where she earned her PhD in the Department of French Studies in 2015. Her dissertation, exploring literary adaptations of Ovid's Pygmalion myth from the late eighteenth- through late nineteenth-centuries, culminated in her degree. Carrie distinguished herself as a teacher through her work on the LSU in Paris Summer Program. She worked with faculty on the organization, planning, and teaching of LSU in Paris for four years during her doctoral work. Always an innovator in the classroom, Carrie used the city of Paris as a tool for teaching, holding her class in different locations throughout the city, depending on the literary setting of the assigned reading. This brought the literature to life for the students and created connections to the city that were not easily forgotten. Carrie loved rediscovering Paris each summer through the eyes of her students - she was extremely passionate about study abroad and its value to students.

In 2014, Carrie became a Language Lecturer at MIT, and she also taught at Tufts, Northeastern, and Boston University, where she became a full-time Lecturer and Coordinator in 2019. Dr. O'Connor taught a wide range of courses throughout her career, including French language, French for business, Conversational French, French literature in translation and French culture through gastronomy.

Carrie was a vibrant and generous professor who was beloved by her students and colleagues. As a testament to her life's work and impact on the campus community, BU Today featured a moving tribute in her honor at https://www.bu.edu/today/articles/category/obituaries/.

In addition to Carrie's commitment to lifelong learning, teaching and reading, she also had a love for travel and adventure. Her first visit to France was while still in high school. Carrie's travel experiences were never limited to the popular tourist destinations. She would immerse herself in the local culture sampling cuisine and night life off the beaten path. The adventurer in her led to riding and bathing elephants in Thailand, feeding Pandas in China and hiking in Cambodia where the spiders were large enough to eat frogs. Her mantra was, "luggage should never be dusty".

The consummate city girl, she was a strong proponent of public transportation, and loved Boston. Though she relished city life, she would also hike in New Hampshire and Maine to commune with nature and was known to stray from a trail to exercise her foraging skills or to simply hug a tree.

In addition to adventures, Carrie was a magician in the kitchen skillfully experimenting with recipes and techniques to create delicious dishes and baked goods. Her artisan breads rivaled anything that could be found in established bakeries. She enjoyed cooking for friends and family and was just as creative with cocktails.

Carrie's infectious smile, witty humor, talent and intellect will forever be cherished by her family, friends, students, and colleagues, leaving an indelible mark on us all.

In lieu of flowers and to honor Carrie's passionate commitment for education and travel, donations may be sent to: LSU Foundation, 3796 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, Re: "Carrie L. O'Connor, PhD Fund to Support French Studies"