Longtime Malibu resident and fine arts advocate Nancy (Fields) O’Connor died on Monday, Nov. 10 after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s. She was 84.
O’Connor’s late husband Carroll O’Connor was an actor, producer and director, and starred as Archie Bunker in 1970’s famed television show “All In The Family.”
The O’Connors met while working on school theatrical productions at the University of Montana (UM) in 1951 and were married soon after in Dublin, Ireland. The couple adopted a son, Hugh, in 1962 who also became an actor and later died of suicide in 1995.
The O’Connors, along with four other couples, gave a $1 million donation to UM as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities and were also instrumental in construction of the PAR-TV Center.
Nancy helped develop the first comprehensive fine arts curriculum in her hometown at Missoula’s elementary schools and was a member of the UM Fine Arts advisory committee.
In Los Angeles, where the O’Connors lived for over 50 years, Nancy helped design and was a member of the board of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. She also helped develop a support group for melanoma cancer research and treatment. In addition, she was actively involved in programs for veterans and veteran’s rights.
Nancy is survived by her brother, John Fields.
Funeral arrangements have not been confirmed. Tributes can be made to Melanoma Research, John Wayne Cancer Institute, St. John’s Hospital, 2121 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404.