Edward E. O’Neill – obituary
Edward E. O’Neill passed away peacefully at home on March 28, surrounded by his family.
He was the son of the late Rose O’Dette O’Neill and the brother of the late Patricia O’Neill Armstrong.
He is survived by Alice E. Murphy O’Neill, his wife since 1982, and his children and grandchildren: Lorraine O’Neill (Michael O’Neill), Kim and John McDowell (Caroline, Katherine and Christopher), Ali and Jeff Tucker (Sam, Carly and Aubrey), William E. O’Neill (Eric and James Vierra), James O’Neill and Kim Kahan (Tyler), Barry and Nicole Sturgis (Matthew and Emily), Steven and Petra O’Neill (Owen and Samantha) and Robert O’Neill. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, other members of his extended family and many dear friends. He was predeceased by his first wife, Lorraine O’Neill.
Ed was born in Providence in 1931. One of his proudest achievements was earning the rank of Eagle Scout and he spent two happy summers on the staff of Camp Yawgoog in Rhode Island. He graduated from La Salle Academy in Providence in 1949.
He served for four years in the U.S. Air Force, including service at the radar station in Cho-do, Korea.
After his military service, he worked fulltime while he was attending Bryant College (class of 1957). He married Lorraine Connelly in 1956 and they moved to Cape Cod in 1958.
After working at Hyannis Marina and Transatlantic Motors, he joined a local accounting firm in 1969 and launched his own accounting practice in 1971. He joined the practice of Crabtree CPA & Associates in 2010 and continued working until last summer. Over the years, he helped hundreds of people prepare their tax forms and served as an advisor to many local business owners. Debbie Flora worked with him for over 35 years, and Ed’s family is grateful for her loyalty.
Ed was treasurer and president of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2578 in Hyannis. He also served for many years as a volunteer with the Cape Cod chapter of the Association of Retarded Citizens.
In the 1960s, he was active in the Cape Cod Sports Car Club, winning enough auto rallies to accumulate a boxful of trophies. A passionate car buff, he owned more than 70 cars (one at a time).
He developed his photography skills by taking pictures at his children’s sports events and school activities. As a professional photographer, he shot hundreds of weddings, engagement photos and high-school senior portraits. He loved to give people a flattering photo, whether it was taken in Alice’s classroom, at the Figawi Ball or at a casual gathering.
His family is grateful to Heidi Fratantonio and his other caregivers and the staff of Hope Health, Spaulding Rehab and Cape Cod Healthcare.
Visiting hours will be 4-7 p.m. Monday at Our Lady of Victory, 230 South Main St., Centerville. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Victory. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent for the Edward and Lorraine O’Neill Memorial Scholarship Fund, payable to the ARC of Cape Cod, 171 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601 or to the American Cancer Society, New England Division, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.
