Carole A. O'Connor

Carole A. (Sweet) O'Connor, age 86, passed away peacefully on May 24, 2023, surrounded by her loving family at her home in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on November 7, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Arthur and Ann T. (Hogarty) Sweet. Carole was raised in West Roxbury and graduated from West Roxbury High School with the Class of 1954. Following graduation, Carole enrolled in Bentley College, which was then located in Boston, Massachusetts. On June 8, 1956, Carole proudly graduated from Bentley with her Associate of Science Degree in Accounting.  

After college, Carole married and made her home in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, where she would start a family that would eventually include five wonderful children. She loved to bake and was well known for her snickerdoodles and congo bars. She was also an excellent seamstress who found clever ways to sort and repair clothing for her growing family. 

In the late 1960’s Carole and her close friends started a tradition of playing cards one Saturday a month, with each friend taking turns to host at their homes. This tradition would continue when Carole moved to Medfield, Massachusetts in 1973; in fact, the monthly tradition would continue for 50 years, with only brief summer breaks! These summer breaks were an  opportunity to family vacations. She loved to vacation down Cape Cod, especially in Eastham. Carole had often spent time there as a child and relished being able to share her cherished vacation spot with her children.

Carole adored being a homemaker, calling it her favorite job, but as the children grew older, was ready to re-enter the workforce. In 1983, Carole’s accounting skills enabled her to secure a job at Grainger in Medway, Massachusetts as a member of the accounting department. She remained with the company until an opportunity arose to take a role in accounting at Bird Machine in Walpole, Massachusetts, where she remained until 1993, when she became a member of the accounting department for Bird and Son in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Carole retired from Bird and Son in the early 1990's and in 1996 Carole moved to Bellingham, Massachusetts where she would live for the next fifteen years. In 2011, Carole moved to the Community at Pond Meadow in Wrentham, Massachusetts to enjoy senior living.

Carole enjoyed the freedom that comes with retirement. She made many friends at Pond Meadow and loved being involved in her community. She loved playing board games and card games, especially when she could execute a winning strategy to the chagrin of her opponents. laughing. She enjoyed taking bus trips with her fellow retirees to explore local destinations as well as catch the latest production at local community theatres. She loved exploring flea markets and antique stores, often finding a hidden gem or two. Carole’s love for travel did not limit herself to local vacations and destinations; she visited Europe numerous times, including Germany twice in her eighties! 

Her absolute favorite things were family and Christmas time.  She adored each of her grandchildren and thrived watching them mature into adulthood.  She made the most incredible memories for her family by being together for extended Christmas visit stays, in recent years on the Cape where she would stay up far into the night giving her grandkids a run for their money.  She was true trooper, jokester, and truly enjoyed the simplicity of time with family. 

Loving mother of Michael J. O'Connor, and his husband Oscar Mora, of Eastvale, CA, Brian A. O'Connor, and his wife Dana, of Mendon, Neal J. O'Connor, and his wife Lisa Hooe, of Medfield, Kevin I. O'Connor, and his husband Matthew Badger, of Provincetown, and Kathleen A. Cook, and her husband Steve, of Seattle, WA.
Cherished grandmother of Brandon O'Connor, Samuel O'Connor, Hayleigh O'Connor, Trevor O'Connor, Sean O'Connor, Carolyn Kampfer, and her husband Christian, and Aidan Cook
Loving sister of Virginia Murray of Mashpee as well as aunt to several nieces and nephews.
Carole is preceded in death by four siblings: Arthur Sweet, Mary Ellen Nolan, Elaine Sweet, and John Sweet.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Carole’s Life Celebration on Friday, May 26th, 2023, from 4 - 7 pm in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

A Funeral service will be held at Epiphany Episcopal Church, 62 Front Street, Walpole, on Saturday, May 27th, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carole’s memory can be made to a charity of one's choice.