O'Connor, Willa Van was born Oct. 8, 1942, in Meriden, CT, to William Van and Mary Allen O'Connor. Bill was born and raised in Syracuse, NY, Mary in Greenwood, SC. Willa lived in Minneapolis, MN, for most of her childhood, and she joined her family for her father's visiting professorships in Liege, Belgium, where she learned the French language skills that she enjoyed all her life. In Brooklyn, NY, Willa attended Midwood High School and in Durham, NC, she took summer courses. Willa completed freshman year at the University of Minnesota. The next year Willa moved to be with her family in Davis, CA, and she completed her B.A. at UCD. Willa married Joseph Barker, who also graduated from UCD, and Willa took her CA teacher's credential and her library science degree from Emory University to jobs in CA and NY. Willa lived in Kensington, CA, for 30 years where she raised her son Liam and volunteered in neighborhood organizations and political campaigns. Willa was buoyed by her many friends, relatives, and neighbors across her life and she was blessed by her son and daughter-in-law Kyoko and their two children, Liana, and Keenan. Willa died peacefully on Dec. 21, 2016, at her home. She is survived by her sister Ellen and her brother Jewett. Donations in Willa's memory may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center, donate.splcenter.org