Dr. Ralph Vincent O'Connor's Obituary
Ralph Vincent O’Connor (93) passed away peacefully in his home in Lakewood, Washington, on July 7th, surrounded by his family and his loving wife, Rosemary. Ralph was a devoted husband, a proud father, and a doting Papa.
Ralph was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, in 1932 to John Patrick (J.P.) and Rosella O’Connor–the youngest of their seven children. He left South Dakota in 1949 to attend college at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, where he earned his bachelor’s degree (‘53) and his doctor of dental surgery (‘57). It was during this time that a local matchmaker–the shopkeeper at Ralph’s favorite ice cream parlor pointed Ralph toward Rosemary Segreto, another regular. Ralph gave Rosemary a nickel and told her to “call him.” She never did. Ralph, undeterred, took out another nickel and made the call himself. It was the best nickel Ralph ever spent. The two wed in 1956 and one year later settled in Lakewood, where they raised their nine children. Ralph served honorably in the Air Force for the next two years, attaining the rank of Captain before his discharge in 1959. After retiring from the service, Ralph founded O’Connor Dentistry, which is now a 3rd generation dental practice.
Over the subsequent decades, Ralph established himself as a pillar of the Lakewood community and a leader in his profession. When he wasn’t wrangling his family into their checkered cab for ski trips or orchestrating water-ski competitions on American Lake, Ralph could be found, tending to patients at his dental practice, serving on boards at Bellarmine Preparatory School and St. Joes Hospital, and later on, overseeing projects at the Tacoma Golf and Country Club.
Ralph achieved national renown for his contributions to the dental profession. He was an early adopter of many novel practices, and he is widely recognized as the father of “interdisciplinary dentistry”—a revolutionary approach to patient care that involves bringing multiple dental specialists together to develop and implement comprehensive treatment plans. The protocols Ralph pioneered with a small network of dentists in Tacoma are now considered the de facto standard of care in modern dentistry.
Ralph and his collaborators became prolific lecturers in the dental community. Over the years, Ralph taught thousands of dentists and dental students around the country about interdisciplinary dentistry and practice management. Ralph enjoyed teaching in his home as well. He composed dozens of lectures and parables about life, love, and happiness, which became rites of passage among his children and grandchildren.
Despite his many professional accomplishments, Ralph’s most cherished legacy was always his family. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary, his nine children (Roch, Erin, Beth, Bart, Barry, Carrie, Chad, Cort, and Kyle), seventeen grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.
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