Obituary for John J. O'Neill Sr.
John J. O'Neill, Sr., age 86, a longtime resident of Chelmsford, passed away peacefully at Lowell General Hospital on Thursday, May 5, 2022 surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of the late Joanne (Antonucci) O’Neill with whom he enjoyed nearly 50 years of marriage until her passing in 2013.
He was born in Lowell on September 30, 1935 and was the son of the late Willard and Anna (Conway) O’Neill.
John was raised in East Boston and proudly served in the US Army. He was a skilled and hard working union bricklayer. Later, he was a proud employee of the Chelmsford Public School’s Maintenance Department where he could be seen cutting the school’s ball fields. John was a resident of Chelmsford for the past 53 years and a faithful communicant of St. Mary’s Church. He was an avid fan of all Boston sports teams. John was completely devoted to his family and treasured every moment spent with them.
John is survived by his loving sons, Joseph G. O’Neill and John J. O’Neill, Jr. and his wife Myriam Hickey O’Neill; three cherished grandchildren, John J. III “Jack”, Clare, and Tom O’Neill all of Chelmsford. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Bobby White.
In addition to his loving wife and his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Sonny O'Neill, and sisters, Mary O’Neill, Anna Wilk, Rita Kretzman, and Kathleen Gaffney.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, May 9th from 4pm to 7pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11am at St. Mary Parish, 25 North Rd., Chelmsford. Interment will follow in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Chelmsford. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the Schepens Eye Research Institute at masseyeandear.org/makeagift or by mail to the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye & Ear, Development Office, 243 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114 and include John’s name in the memo line.
He was born in Lowell on September 30, 1935 and was the son of the late Willard and Anna (Conway) O’Neill.
John was raised in East Boston and proudly served in the US Army. He was a skilled and hard working union bricklayer. Later, he was a proud employee of the Chelmsford Public School’s Maintenance Department where he could be seen cutting the school’s ball fields. John was a resident of Chelmsford for the past 53 years and a faithful communicant of St. Mary’s Church. He was an avid fan of all Boston sports teams. John was completely devoted to his family and treasured every moment spent with them.
John is survived by his loving sons, Joseph G. O’Neill and John J. O’Neill, Jr. and his wife Myriam Hickey O’Neill; three cherished grandchildren, John J. III “Jack”, Clare, and Tom O’Neill all of Chelmsford. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Bobby White.
In addition to his loving wife and his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Sonny O'Neill, and sisters, Mary O’Neill, Anna Wilk, Rita Kretzman, and Kathleen Gaffney.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, May 9th from 4pm to 7pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11am at St. Mary Parish, 25 North Rd., Chelmsford. Interment will follow in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Chelmsford. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the Schepens Eye Research Institute at masseyeandear.org/makeagift or by mail to the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye & Ear, Development Office, 243 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114 and include John’s name in the memo line.