Charles M. O'Neill

HOLDEN – Charles M. O’Neill, Sr., 82, of 10 Oakwood St., died on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 in his home.

He leaves his wife of 57 years, Frances E. (Durkee) O’Neill; a daughter, Mary F. O’Neill of Newton; six sons, Charles M. O’Neill, Jr. and his wife Carolyn of Westboro, Joseph W. O’Neill of Holden, John A. O’Neill of Phoenix, AZ, David F. O’Neill and his wife Christine of Cincinnati, OH, Robert P. O’Neill and his wife Teresa of Worcester, and Thomas P. O’Neill and his wife Pamela of Barre; two brothers, David W. O’Neill and his wife Marjorie of Roslindale and Donald T. O’Neill and his wife Lya of Port Charlotte, FL; 12 grandchildren; a great granddaughter; many nephews and nieces. A brother, Francis “Red” O’Neill, predeceased him.

Mr. O’Neill was born in Jamaica Plain, the son of Charles M. and Emily R. (Van Wert) O’Neill, was raised in Roslindale, and later lived 48 years in Holden. He graduated from the Boston Latin School in 1942 and from Harvard College in 1947. Having been recruited for the U.S. Navy’s highly competitive V-12 program during World War II, he served throughout the South Pacific before being discharged as an Ensign in 1946 before retiring. A man of extraordinary ethics and business acumen, Mr. O’Neill remained. He was an assistant and then general manager of R.H. White’s and Bradley’s department stores in Boston, Worcester, Leominster, Gardner and Woburn for more than 30 years committed to making a profit while providing quality merchandise at prices people could afford.

A voracious reader who loved history and current events, his greatest interest and commitment, since making a Cursillo (a short course in Christianity) in 1965 has been the healthy growth and development of the Catholic Church in the community. An active member of St. George’s Parish in Worcester, Mr. O’Neill served as a founding member of the Parish Council, taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and R.C.I.A. for more than 25 years, and served as a lector at Mass since its inception after the Second Vatican Council. After his retirement, Mr. O’Neill became a daily communicant and an active volunteer in St. George’s Perpetual Adoration Chapel. In 1979 the Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan honored Mr. O’Neill with the Mother Elizabeth Seton Award on behalf of his longtime commitment and many contributions to diocesan education, including his work as chairman of the Worcester Diocesan Board of Education. He also served on the Diocesan Finance Committee. He was the president and then the “President Emeritus” of the Elder Home Care Board of Worcester and was a longtime volunteer with the Holden Council on Aging’s Meals-on-Wheels program.

While he was well known and admired for his work in retailing, the church and the community, all who knew Mr. O’Neill understood that he lived for his wife and children and their families. He once wrote: “The wisest and luckiest event of my life has been my marriage to my wife, Frances. Although it is not currently fashionable to have seven children, our family of six sons and one daughter has been and continues to be the center of our lives, being at once the reasons for and also the reward for most of our labors. It has always been our contention that our objective in raising a large family has not been to populate the world with people, but to populate heaven with saints. In any case, we certainly do not know which ones we would have done without.”

Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 5th in the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden. The funeral Mass for Mr. O’Neill will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday in St. George’s Church, 38 Brattle Street, Worcester. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Food for the Poor, 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073.

Website & Guestbook: www.milesfuneralhome.com