John J. O’Connor III, husband of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, died yesterday of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Justice O’Connor left the Supreme Court in 2006, in large part to spend more time with her husband, whose health deteriorated rather rapidly. He was moved to an assisted living facility, where he fell in love with one of the other residents. Justice O’Connor accepted that with grace, and told friends she was grateful that her husband found happiness.
On his part, when a reporter asked John O’Connor about how he felt playing a supporting role after wife’s appointment soon after they moved to Washington in 1981, he said:
“Sandra’s accomplishments don’t make me a lesser man. They make me a fuller man.”
And thanks, Newser, for the link.
Dating Jesus 
Now that was a marriage!
I couldn’t find the original story about her husband’s falling in love with a fellow client at that facility, but I remember reading it and her gracious response to that and crying.
I’ve seen a couple of movies in which a married character bonds strongly with someone in his/her facility, as s/he loses the memory of the marriage. Is this as common as it might seem?
I’m guessing yes. The personality and memory of an Alzheimer’s patient is restructured or destructured, and meeting someone new seems like a common thing to me, even if the spouse is a daily visitor to the facility.
That’s beautiful, thank you for sharing.
I found all accounts of their relationship to be terribly moving. He went to D.C. and practiced law there after she was appointed.
Classy people.
Weren’t they? I’d almost send her a card, but then, she’s never heard from me and that seems weird to contact her in her grief.
Lovely post and what a man! I love his humility in the face of her success.
Wasn’t it beautiful?