ERNA IRENE O’CONNOR

1924 - 2010

Dr. Erna Irene (Gravesen) O'Connor, 86, recently of Pembroke Pines, Fla., formerly of DeKalb, Ill., died Thursday, July 15, 2010.
Born June 14, 1924, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Erna was the middle of three sisters and wife of Dr. Henry Arthur O'Connor. Her parents both immigrated to the United States from Denmark. Living amongst many Danish relatives, Erna spoke a mix of Danish and English as a child. She and her sisters attended the University School in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as well as Danish Summer School, in order to learn to read and write Danish as well as English. The family owned and operated Gravesens Grocery in Cedar Falls, where Erna learned first-hand about marketing, management and business traits she would later apply as a teacher of business, marketing and management. During her high school years, Erna worked in the family business (Gravesens Grocery and Filling Station), saving her money to take flying lessons and then to go to college.
In 1944, Erna served as adjutant to the general, Women's Corps, Civil Air Patrol, Waterloo, Iowa. She also was a part owner of an airplane. After working in the family business, Erna went on to be a buyer at Blacks Department Store in Waterloo, Iowa. After World War II, Erna attended the University of Northern Iowa, where she met her future husband, Henry "Art" O'Connor. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and English, they married Aug. 20, 1949, right after graduation. They moved to Columbia, Mo., where they worked on graduate degrees. Erna received her master's degree in business education from the University of Missouri, an accounting major with a certification in counseling psychology. Erna received her doctoral degree in business education from Northern Illinois University, in which she was a marketing management and finance major. Dr. O'Connor's academic teaching career included instructor in business, Stephens College, Columbia, Mo., and at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, as instructor in business and as a student adviser. Erna was founder of the local Pi Lambda Theta Chapter. At Kishwaukee College, Malta, Dr. O'Connor was a consultant on Statistical Quality Control Implementation in Industry, she served as the coordinator of the Marketing, Management and Finance Department and she was the founder and adviser for the Business and Industrial Management (BID) Center. Dr. O'Connor was the designer and implementer of the Materials Management Program, the International Marketing Program and was chairwoman of the Marketing and Management Advisory Committee. Dr. O'Connor also served as auditor and as director of the Student Financial Aid Office, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. During her teaching career, she was recognized as outstanding educator, Kishwaukee College, Malta; as Outstanding College Teacher, DeKalb County Press, 1989; in Who's Who of American Women; by Outstanding Educators of America; and The Directory of International Biography.
After retiring from teaching, Dr. O'Connor achieved great success in real estate as a broker in the commercial and residential market in Illinois. Over a 30-year span, she specialized in income and investment property and won awards including "Million Dollar Sales Award." She was active in local community programs and was a long-term supporter of the Ellwood House National Historic Museum, where she volunteered as a tour guide. Dr. O'Connor authored numerous articles for business publications and endowed the O'Connor Global Education Consortium, College of Education, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. She established memorial funds at Northern Illinois University in the name of her late husband, Henry "Art" O'Connor, and her late father, Christian Gravesen. In 2005, Dr. O'Connor retired to Pembroke Pines, Fla., where she continued to help out in the family business. Generous to a fault, she was known to always be the first to reach for the check: "It's my ticket."
Preceded in death by her husband; parents; two sisters; and a twin brother, who died at birth, Dr. O'Connor is well remembered by former students, faculty and friends. Erna is survived by two sons, Scott A. O'Connor of Pembroke Pines, Fla., and Edward B. O'Connor of DeKalb; two granddaughters, Magen N. (O'Connor) Naret and Alexis K. O'Connor, both of Tampa, Fla.; and one great-grandson, Andrew D. Naret, of Tampa.
Memorial services for Dr. O'Connor will be Saturday, July 31, at Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 319-266-7525, with burial in Waterloo Cemetery, Waterloo, Iowa.