BOSTON – On Tuesday, thousands packed St. Ignatius Church at Boston College to say farewell to longtime Boston philanthropist and advertising icon Jack Connors. Connors died after a battle with cancer at the age 82, but his impact on the city will live on for decades. 

“The only funeral that I’ve been to that’s been bigger than this was that of Pope Benedict,” Cardinal Sean O’Malley said.

Boston mourns Jack Connors

Connors founded the city’s powerful Hill Holliday ad agency in 1968. But his impact and influence went far beyond the business world, advising politicians and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for Catholic schools.   

“It’s powerful how many lives dad touched,” his son, John Connors III, said. 

Tuesday’s funeral brought out past and present city and state leaders and industry giants, all of whom knew Jack well and who Jack called on to make a difference in the community. 

“I was watching the giants, the legends of Boston come down the aisle, and Jack pulled everyone together again,” Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said.

Through prayer, reflection and faith, Jack will be remembered as living a life filled with acts of kindness, joy and huge accomplishments.

Connors’s legacy of generosity  

“He passed away just 45 days after he raised a record $13.5 million for Camp Harbor View. He went out on top,” John Connors III said.

“When I think about the legacy I think about the thousand kids who are an island this summer because of him and love they are experiencing out there,” said Lisa Fortnberry, the executive vice president of Camp Harbor View.

Suffolk Chairman and CEO John Fish says the city has a big void to fill. “Jack would always say, ‘What can I do to help you? What can I do to help others?” Fish said.

 Jack Connors leaves behind 4 children, 13 grandchildren and his wife of 58 years, Eileen Connors. 

“Eileen’s House is a halfway house for women in Dorchester. In some ways, it’s Jack’s crown jewel because it’s in recognition of Eileen. Now, there are women graduating that house reuniting with their families, reuniting with their children, turning their lives around,” Walsh said.

Cardinal O’Malley said Jack Connors legacy will live on through others. “He was a great man. And I hope his life will inspire more people to that greatness. Jack was not a celebrity; he was a hero. He was a man of deeds. He was a man for whom the community and the needs of others was a priority.”

Hartland’s Castle, an iconic mansion by the sea in Old Saybrook, CT, is on the market for $7,749,000. It comes with a fascinating history.

The 11-bedroom chateau with 15,000 square feet of living space was built in 1908 for an American heiress and her husband.

“It was built for George Watson Beach and his wife, Elizabeth Colt Jarvis Beach, with aspirations to be the equal of the Newport summer cottages,” says listing agent Chuck Haller. “The 40-room home was designed by Alfredo S.G. Taylor in English Tudor Revival style.”

Elizabeth, the niece of gun manufacturer Samuel Colt, and her husband already owned hundreds of acres in the area, as well as a home in Hartford. Their beach house was completed in just two years and was said to include a clock tower that chimed every half-hour to the tune of “Don’t Say Goodbye, Say Au Revoir.”

In 1923, Otto Lindbergh, uncle of aviator Charles Lindbergh, purchased the castle for $75,000 and turned it into a hotel for the rich and famous. Guests included big names like Howard Hughes, Helen Hayes, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, and Doris Day, among others.

Over the years, the property changed hands several times. The current owner, Maria Rand, picked it up in 2007 for just over $2 million.

The property was renovated and turned back into a private residence. Original details include 11 fireplaces; a three-story, hand-carved cherry staircase; and a gentleman’s smoking room.

“The home includes a turret with a sitting area on top, a media room, an infinity-edge pool, and an elevator,” Haller says. “A two-car garage with a one-bedroom apartment was also added.”

The town is a popular summer destination, Haller says. “Old Saybrook is a seashore town. There are beaches, parks, and marinas, and the main street offers unique shopping and dining opportunities.”