Judge Mark S. O'Connor

Judge Mark S. O’Connor, 80, of Indian Lake, Ohio, passed away peacefully at his residence on Monday morning, March 24, 2025, surrounded by his loving wife of 57 years Martha and other family members, after battling heart and lung issues for several months.

Born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, on June 27, 1944, he was the third son of the late Thomas and Margaret O’Connor. He was also preceded in death by his oldest brother, John Patrick. He is survived by his beloved wife, Martha Kennedy O’Connor, and their three children: Tim (Tricia) O’Connor, Anne (Jay Uhlinger) O’Connor, and Brendan Thomas O’Connor. Other survivors include his older brother Tom (Adie) O’Connor, sister-in-law Anne Antonius, and many nieces and nephews, including local resident Dr. John Christopher O’Connor. He was the proud grandfather of Grace and Sean O’Connor, and Brendan and Rory Uhlinger.

Mark attended St. Patrick Elementary School and Bellefontaine High School, Class of 1962, where he was a class officer and participated in golf and football. He graduated from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Class of 1966, where he was a class officer, member of the debate team, and Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honorary fraternity. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1969, where he was a member of the National Moot Court team.

Admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1969, Mark was a member of the American Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, and the Logan County Bar Association. He was also a member of the Ohio Bar Foundation and a past president of the William Howard Taft Inns of Court at Ohio Northern University, Ada.

After law school, he returned to Bellefontaine and practiced law with the late John Beck. He later joined the law firm of MacGillivray, Hadley, and O’Connor while also serving as the Bellefontaine City assistant prosecutor and assistant Logan County prosecutor. He concluded his private practice with the firm of Thompson, Dunlap, Heydinger, O’Connor, and MacDonald. In 1990, he was appointed Judge of the Logan County Common Pleas Court and was subsequently elected to that position, serving for a total of 26 years until term age limitations dictated retirement. Until his passing, Judge O’Connor served as a visiting judge by assignment from the Ohio Supreme Court in several west central County and Municipal Courts, including the Union County Common Pleas Court every Wednesday.

Judge O’Connor was instrumental in the creation of the Family Court for Logan County and worked to develop and open the West Central Community Corrections facility in Marysville. He mentored many new attorneys practicing law in Logan County.

He took an active role as president in the family corporation, O’Connor Farms Inc., a large cattle and grain operation in Richland Township near Indian Lake, in partnership with the Don and Frank Phelps Families. The operation was recognized by the state of Ohio for more than 150 years of continuous family operation.

Mark served several years as a member and past president of the board of directors for Mary Rutan Hospital. During his tenure, he worked to transition the hospital from a city-owned facility to the not-for-profit corporation it is today. He was a member of the American Academy of Hospital Attorneys.

He also served on the Logan County Children’s Services Board, Logan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Bellefontaine Kiwanis Club. In 2020, he was named Kiwanian of the Year. He also served for many years on the Logan County Board of Elections and as Chairman of the Logan County Democratic Party. Other memberships included the Logan County Chapter of Symposiarch, the Logan County Senior Center Bridge Club, the Young Men’s Duplicate Bridge Club, the Knight of Columbus, and the Ancient Order of the Hibernians.

Judge O’Connor was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, where he taught high school religious education for more than 20 years. He was also a member of St. Mary of the Woods Church in Russell’s Point, where he served on the Finance Committee, chaired the Summer Festival Committee, and was a Eucharistic Minister. In recent years, he often attended Mass at the Marianist Chapel on Governor’s Island, Indian Lake. He also served as a longtime member of the Board of Directors for Calvary Cemetery, Bellefontaine.

Donations are encouraged to the St. Vincent DePaul Society or the Mary Rutan Foundation Medical Scholarship program.

Viewing hours will be in Makley Hall of St. Patrick Church, 316 E. Patterson Ave., Bellefontaine, from 11 am to 1 pm on Friday, March 28, 2025. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30pm on Friday, following the visitation, at St. Patrick’s Church. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Bellefontaine.

EICHHOLTZ DARING & SANFORD FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTER, BELLEFONTAINE, is honored to serve the O’Connor family and encourages anyone to share a fond memory or message of condolence at www.edsfh.com 

FAMILY AUTHORED OBITUARY / TFD