Mathilda “Tilda” Donahue O’Connor, 88, passed away peacefully May 11, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia, surrounded by her family.
Born May 12, 1937, in Ridgewood, Tilda possessed a big heart, a gentle smile and a natural warmth that drew people to her. She was a trusted confidante, a gifted listener and a steady, grounding presence whose quiet resilience and healthy dose of stubbornness live on proudly in her children.
After attending Vassar College, she married the love of her life, Bill O’Connor, in 1956, beginning a wonderful 59-year marriage. While their journey took them from Boston to Texas, and later to California and Florida, the heart of their life was in Rumson, where they spent nearly 40 years raising their family and calling the community home.
While Bill brought the big personality to the room, Tilda was the quiet, loving heart of the home, offering an understated grace and a wonderful sense of personal style. She never stepped out the door without her signature red lipstick and favorite costume jewelry. Her happiest moments were spent by the ocean, contentedly sitting in her beach chair with the New York Times crossword puzzle.
Her lifelong love for the New York Yankees began in 1947, inspired by her favorite uncle, Alec. As a young girl, Tilda eagerly read the daily newspaper box scores, memorizing the batting averages of the entire roster. She remained a devoted fan, cheering the team on faithfully throughout her final days.
Her competitive spirit was legendary; she routinely played board games with her grandkids, always playing to win, and loved thrift store shopping with her daughters, successfully instilling in them a lifelong commitment to never paying full price. In recent years, she thoroughly enjoyed her aerobics classes, and she could be found racing neighbors down the hallways of her senior community, much to the chagrin of the staff.
As the proud matriarch of nine children, Tilda spent decades cheering them on through every grammar school, high school, and college game, track meet and cross-country race. She had a remarkable gift for making birthdays, Christmases and every holiday feel incredibly special. More than anything, she made her children feel deeply loved and valued; their happiness was truly her happiness.
A woman of deep and enduring faith, she was a devout Catholic whose spirit was rooted for decades at Holy Cross Parish in Rumson.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, William “Bill” J. O’Connor; her daughter Hildy; and her sister, Barbara Stratton.
She is survived by her sister, Jean McDonnell; eight surviving children, William “Bill” (Andrea), Jeanie, Mary “Sherri” O’Connor Tullia (Steven), Sean (Lori), Kathleen “Kathy,” Elizabeth “Betsy,” Margaret “Peggy” (Robert), and Michael (Margerie); 10 grandchildren, Mathew (Lauren), Caitlin, Willa, Claudia, Lily, Patrick (Gillian), Ryan, Charlie, Matilde (Tilly) and Michael; and three great-grandchildren, Lexi, Adelaide and Corbin.
A funeral service will be held 9 to 10 a.m. Sept. 26 at St. Catharine’s-St. Margaret’s Church, 215 Essex Ave., Spring Lake. The service will be followed by inurnment at St. Catharine’s Cemetery, 1100 W. Chicago Blvd., Sea Girt.
A private celebration of life will follow for family and friends.
The article originally appeared in the May 28 – June 3, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
