With a ready laugh and a steady stream of one-liners, insurance executive Laurence P. O’Connor charmed those who knew him, from employees and hunting buddies to his children’s high school friends. Mr. O’Connor, 59, who had been a vice president of CNA Insurance and Allstate Insurance in Chicago and most recently was CEO, president and chairman of the board of Unigard Insurance Group in Bellevue, Wash., died June 14 in Group Health Eastside Hospital in Redmond, Wash. Born in Boston, Mr. O’Connor graduated from Tufts University in 1962 and later received an MBA from the University of Chicago. In 1963, he married Sally Deeney ; they had five children and were divorced in 1989. He lived in the Chicago area from 1972 to 1987, working for CNA and Allstate before becoming CEO of John Hancock Property and Casualty in Boston. He joined Unigard in 1990 and retired this year. An avid outdoorsman, Mr. O’Connor organized hunting trips for himself and his friends. “He had this aura about him–he was magnetic,” said his daughter Laura Ozimek . “He was the life of the party, always.” In addition to his daughter, survivors include his wife of 10 years, Kathryn ; three sons, Michael, Daniel and Kevin; another daughter, Maureen Sorensen ; his father, Philip; and three grandsons. A celebration will be held in his memory from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Gazebo Grill, 1050 E. Northwest Highway, Fox River Grove.
