In 1937, her father was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus; it led to his eventual death on February 1, 1941, and O'Connor and her mother continued to live in Milledgeville.
Godine 1937. njenom ocu je dijagnostikovan sistemski eritemski lupus, od koga je umro 1. februara 1941, a Flaneri O'Konor i njena majka su nastavile da žive u Miledžvilu.