Donald Patrick O'Neil, a former Hinsdale High School District 86 Board member, died Aug. 17, 2024.
He was born in 1926 to Winifred (nee Magill) and Jeremiah O'Neil in Fall River, Mass. He spent his youth in Fall River and Wakefield, Mass., enjoying life with siblings Gerry, Paul, Claire and Steve. Life was challenging after the early deaths of both his parents.
After high school he was commissioned into the Navy as an ensign. As part of the Naval training program starting at Tufts, he eventually earned a bachelor's in mechanical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute. From there, he served toward the end of World War II on the USS Thompson in the South China Sea.
He was discharged in 1947 as a lieutenant junior grade. Following his Naval service he ultimately continued his education at Harvard and the University of Chicago, earning master's degrees in engineering and business. After a brief stint working in New York, where he would often visit Yankee Stadium to cheer only for the visiting Red Sox, he was hired at Argonne National Laboratory in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago.
He planned to stay there only five years and then return to his beloved New England. One day, however, a beautiful young chemistry technician entered his life and she changed things forever. Colette Koehl became his beloved "Bridey" when they married in 1955. They lived together in Oak Brook for the next 54 years, where they prayed the rosary every night until her death in 2009. During that time they welcomed seven children into their lives, Kevin (who died as a newborn), Timothy O'Neil, Terri (David) Selvage, Stephen (Kathryn) O'Neil, Jennifer (Chris) King, Mary O'Neil and Dan (Christie) O'Neil. "Pop," as he was called, always put his family first: no sacrifice was too big if it meant taking care of his family. After long days at work, he would spend his evening hours helping each of his children with homework, as he valued education so highly. His well-known phrases - "Navy shower," "Hit the books" and "God was good to give us milk" - were ingrained in all his kids.
He retired from Argonne after almost 40 years. He enjoyed gardening and advocacy on the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board and was a decades-long parishioner of St. Isaac Jogues Parish. He loved to stay active and joined several social clubs.
He was a loving grandfather to six grandchildren. "Grampy" loved visiting them in Indianapolis, Carmel and Santa Fe with Grammy, giving them tractor rides, cheering them on in their various activities and taking adventurous vacations. He was a beloved uncle to many and a friend to everyone.
Visitation is from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at Adolf & Powell Funeral Home, 7000 S. Madison St., Willowbrook. Family and friends will gather at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26 for a visitation followed by a funeral at 10 a.m. at St. Isaac Jogues, 306 W. Fourth St., Hinsdale.
Interment will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a hospice provider of choice.
Brian Powell Funeral Directors of Hinsdale handled the arrangements.
