Patricia O'Connor

Patricia S. O'Connor passed away at the Sanford Vermillion Hospital on July 9, 2022. A visitation will be held at the Hansen Funeral Home- Vermillion on July 14, 2022 from 5:00-7:00PM.

Patty O’Connor, matriarch of her family, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on July 9th, 2022 at Sanford care center in Vermillion, SD. Patricia Suzanne Hughes was born on June 6th, 1944, in Huron, SD. She was the first born of five children to Charles and Marie (Polreis) Hughes. Graduating from Mount Marty

Catholic highschool in 1962, Patty furthered her education at the University of South Dakota and graduated with an associate nursing degree in 1974. During her nursing career, Patty provided a broad spectrum of care from delivering babies to working in surgery. In 1982, Patty moved to Tennessee for a fresh start, she lived in the foothills of the smoky mountains and discovered places like Gatlinburg and Dollywood.  While in

TN, Patty worked as Head charge nurse on the psychiatric and Drug/Alcohol Detox unit.

This catapulted her passion for caring for clients with the disease of addiction. In 1987 Patty moved to Staten Island, New York for her mother’s desire to be closer to family members who were living there. When Patty arrived in New York she undertook a job at Bayley Seton Hospital, specializing in addiction, as an alcohol detox nurse.  While working full time as a RN and caring for others, Patty obtained a Bachelor's degree in

Sociology in 1995, as well as a masters degree in liberal arts in 1998 at The College of Staten Island. Patty retired from nursing in August 2010. She loved lots of leisure time and coming back home to South Dakota.  Patty loved taking trips and vacations, going out to eat and to the movie theater.  She loved being retired.   Patty was also inspired from her career to write and publish Mini Steps to Recovery. (Xlibris.com) In her spare time she enjoyed the arts, naps, watching tv, reading, true crime stories, and watching old Hollywood classic films. As well as this she admired Marilyn Monroe. She kept up with current events, watching the news daily, reading Time magazines and The Readers Digest.  She was fascinated with modern technology and communication today. Her

Greatest love was her Children (Fur babies included) and her grandchildren.  In 2019 Patty moved back to Vermillion SD to spend the remainder of her life closer to family and friends.

Patty left behind the legacy of her children and 11 grandchildren. Survivors include her Son, Chad Lewison (Lisa Logan) of Canton SD; three daughters, Nichole Lewison of Vermillion SD, Leah (Eddie) Tapia of Tea SD, Julie Forell of Vermillion SD; grandchildren; Rollie Lewison (Rapid City SD), Charles and Carly Lewison (Canton, SD). Karla, Olivia, and Elena Lewison (Vermillion SD) Connor, Isabel, Brady, and TJ Tapia (Tea SD)  Beverly Rose Browne (Vermillion, SD); One sister, Mary Browne of Waterbliet, NY and Sister-in-Law Linda Orcutt (Hughes) of Divoll, TX.
She will be deeply missed.