Peter G. O-Connor - Divelbiss

Boston - Peter G. O’Connor-Divelbiss considered himself an adopted Bostonian, having moved there in 2011. He was living at the edge of the Southie and Dorchester neighborhoods and explored so much of the city. In particular, he loved the North End and was following a plan to eat one time at each of the Italian restaurants there. He liked to take visiting family members there and also to Chinatown where he worked. 

Peter died after a valiant struggle with mantle-cell lymphoma on Thursday, December 26, 2024, at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. He was 44.

He was born on February 5, 1980, in East Lansing, Michigan, a son of Christine O’Connor and Richard Irwin Divelbiss. 

A graduate of East Lansing High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree in humanities and politics from Michigan State University. He lived and worked for a time in New York City, and moved to Boston when he earned a promotion to work at the central headquarters for Grassroots Campaigns. Peter was a fiscal administrator for Grassroots Campaigns and later Telefund. He was happy and proud to be helping raise funds for progressive organizations like the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Planned Parenthood.

As a youth, he was active in Boy Scouts of America and in community and school athletic programs. He was particularly proud of being on a successful Pee Wee hockey team, enjoyed playing with his brothers, and fishing with his family. Peter was inquisitive and thoughtful and had a lifelong interest and passion for history and politics. He always had books at hand, loved the family dogs, and enjoyed both video and board games. 

He leaves his mother, Christine O’Connor of San Diego, and his father, Richard Divelbiss (Beverly Bond) of Hale, Michigan; his brothers, Samuel F. O’Connor-Divelbiss (Susan Howe) of Grayslake, Illinois, and Bennett R. O’Connor-Divelbiss (Kasey Pearl-Lee Branam) of San Diego, California; his nephew, George C. Branam-Divelbiss of San Diego; his step-sister Erica Pulling (Mark Robinson) of Charleston, WV; his niece and nephew, Rose and Sam Wilkinson of Charleston, WV; his step-brother Michael Pulling (Heather Pulling) of Pensacola, FL; his nieces, Abigail and Delaney Pulling; his many aunts, uncles, cousins, co-workers, and friends. 

A Celebration of Life will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during the weekend of June 27-29, 2025. Details will be announced.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to The Cam Neely Foundation (The Neely House), 170 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109 or https://camneelyfoundation.org/ or Lymphoma Research Foundation, Wall Street Plaza, 88 Pine Street Suite 2400, New York, NY 10005 https://lymphoma.org or to ACLU, SPLC, or Planned Parenthood.