A scholar-athlete and native of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Connors graduated from Chicopee High School in 1958. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from The College of the Holy Cross in 1962, a master’s degree in mathematics from The University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1964 and a Ph.D. in mathematics from The University of Notre Dame in 1969.
Connors retired as Professor Emeritus from The University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2002 after serving 33 years on the mathematics faculty. Connors served as Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics from 1977-1982. He served as Undergraduate Program Advisor from 1993-2001.
Connors is survived by his wife of 57 years Dr. Mary Ann (Corbo) Connors, a son James, and a daughter Kathleen, who was his primary caregiver. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Elinor Connors (Holyoke, MA) and brother-in-law Dr. Nicholas J. Corbo (Reading, PA) and nine nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents James J. Connors and Camillia Rachel (Gendron) Connors, his sister Mary (Connors) Viamari, his brother James J. Connors Jr., brother-in-law Robert Viamari, niece Lynn (Connors) Henry, sister-in-law Barbara Corbo, father-in-law Dominick Corbo and mother-in-law Josephine Corbo.
Friends will be received on Monday June 22nd from 5-7 p.m. at Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst, MA. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday June 23rd at 10 a.m. at The Newman Catholic Center, Amherst. MA. Burial will follow at St. Brigid’s Cemetery in Hadley. MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Newman Catholic Center, an important, influential and indispensable part of Professor Connors life and his faith. https://www.newmanumass.org/
Full obituary can be found at https://www.douglassfuneral.com/
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