Lawrence "Larry" O'Shaughnessy's giving supported the building of The O'Shaughnessy, ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's performing arts center.
Lawrence "Larry" O’Shaughnessy, a ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ trustee emeritus and benefactor, died on December 3, 2017 at age 96. O'Shaughnessy served ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's as a trustee from 1961-1984 and was board chair from 1981-1984.
Born January 20, 1921, in ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Paul, O’Shaughnessy graduated from ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas Academy in 1939. He attended the College of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas for two years before transferring to Yale University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1944.
O’Shaughnessy was the commencement speaker at ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's in 1987, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at that time. In 1996, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas, where he was a trustee from 1966 to 1980.
In 1991, O'Shaughnessy established the Elizabeth Ann Beatson O’Shaughnessy Endowed Scholarship Fund, named for his first wife who died in 1989. Elizabeth was a 1943 graduate of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's. The scholarship gives full funding to a deserving student with high academic credentials over her four years at the University.
O’Shaughnessy is the last living child of Ignatius Aloysius O’Shaughnessy, a 1907 graduate of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas and legendary benefactor to both his alma mater and ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's. I.A. O’Shaughnessy's giving supported the building of the The O’Shaughnessy, a performing arts center on the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's campus. The I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation, under the leadership of Larry O'Shaughnessy, also made a $1 million gift to help build the Butler Center during the Campaign for ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Catherine.
When ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ celebrated its centennial in 2005, Larry O'Shaughnessy was named one of the "Centennial 100" as one of the most influential people in the first 100 years of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Kate's history.
O'Shaughnessy was actively involved at the University of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas as well. As president of the I.A. O’Shaughnessy Foundation from 1981 to 2004, he supported several projects at ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas, including the construction of O’Shaughnessy Science Hall. He was featured in the 2009 book, 125 Years, a series of profiles on interesting and influential people in the history of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas.
O’Shaughnessy’s survivors include his wife Bonnie; five children, Eileen, Terry, Molly, Larry Jr. and Jim; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth; a daughter, Lael; and his parents, I.A. and Lillian.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 9 in the Chapel of ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas Aquinas on the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Thomas campus. Visitation will be held on Friday from 4-8 p.m. at O’Halloran and Murphy Funeral Home, 575 S. Snelling Ave., ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Paul.