The month of March is designated for Irish American Heritage Month in Suffolk County under Resolution No. 1046-19. This annual acknowledgment highlights an outstanding leader and each County Legislator selects an Irish American person of distinction who resides in his or her respective legislative district.
Suffolk County Legislator Manuel Esteban Sr, Esq. was honored to present a Proclamation to Lt. Colonel Theresa I. O’Connor as the “Irish-American of Distinction” for Legislative District 16 at a ceremony held at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, New York.
Lt. Colonel Theresa I. O’Connor was born in Tralee, County Kerry, in Ireland and was the youngest of 11 children. She started her nursing career in 1956 and worked at the National Children’s Hospital in Dublin, Ireland as a RN and at St. John’s and Elizabeth Hospital in London. She was a State Certified Midwife at Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool and at St. Asyph Hospital in Wales. She has dedicated many years to helping and caring for her patients.
In 1966 she immigrated to the United States and became a United States Citizen in 1972. She worked as a Registered Nurse and in 1969 joined the United States Army as a First Lieutenant and was Active Duty from 1969-1971 at the Landstaul Army Medical Center in Germany and in 1972 she did her 2 weeks active duty at Walter Reed Hospital in Baltimore Maryland. In 1974 she came to New York and lived in Manhattan and worked as the Head Nurse at Lenox Hill Hospital. In addition, Theresa was a Family Support Officer during Desert Storm. She worked as Chief Nurse at 356 Station Hospital in Rocky Point for many years and was instrumental with recruiting hospital staff to make sure the hospital ran efficiently.
She retired in 1993 as Lt. Colonel and resides in Bay Shore, NY where she finds comfort being with her family. She is a member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (LAOH Division 1) in Bay Shore, New York and presently, she is a member of Division 2 in Babylon, New York. Her dedication to helping patients in need continued as she volunteered at Hospice Care Network located in Bay Shore, Maria Regina Nursing Home in Brentwood and worked as the coordinator and greeter at St. Patrick’s Church Consolation Ministry located in Bay Shore, New York.
“I am so proud to honor Theresa today. She embodies the true definition of an Irish-American of Distinction”, said Legislator Esteban. “She has made numerous contributions, as well as sacrifices, to the development, leadership and culture of America.”