Eugene Jerome O'Neill

Eugene “Gene” O’Neill was born into this life singing and dancing on March 18, 1934, the day after St Paddy’s Day and departed this life to Eternal Life on June 18, 2010, where he is jitterbugging and singing in the streets of heaven. Gene was born to James and Florence O’Neill, the youngest of five children. He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, received scholarships to attend Kansas University, graduated in 1957 with his Bachelor of Science degree, in industrial engineering.
During his college years, he was a member of Phi Kappa Theta social fraternity, holding many offices but the one he enjoyed the most was being the social chairman for his fraternity. He also was an officer of the Interfraternity Pledge Council. He met the love of his life while attending KU, JacKay Phillips O’Neill. They were pinned and engaged while in college and enjoyed many a weekend dancing and having fun with their friends.
Upon graduation, he married JacKay and went to Fort Bliss for his basic training in the army. He served two years at the Nike Air Missile site in Cleveland Ohio. His first child, Kimberly Ann, was born in Cleveland. In 1959, Gene joined his life-long company, IBM, as a Systems Engineer, and moved his family to St. Louis, MO. During the next eleven years, his career progressed and the family grew adding 3 more children, Kelli Suanne, Michael Eugene and Kathryn Kay. The family moved with IBM and Gene’s promotions as he moved from the sales side of IBM over to the labs becoming a successful product manager launching such products as the IBM S360 and S370 (Poughkeepsie, NY), and the Displaywriter (Austin, TX).
In 1986, Gene took an overseas assignment with IBM and he and his wife JacKay spent the next five years in England. During this time they were fortunate to see much of Europe on pleasure and business trips. They further enhanced and rekindled their romance. In 1991, they returned to their home in Austin. Gene decided to enjoy his family and retired from IBM in 1991. In the ensuing years they continued to travel and welcome nine grandchildren into their growing family. During this time Gene loved to volunteer and give back to his community. Gene was a member of St. Vincent de Paul society, active church member of St. Thomas More, past president of the Cedar Park Kiwanis Club and involved in a number of its civic and humanitarian projects, including annual fund raisers and volunteer work with the Hill Country County Ministries. He also volunteered for the Far Northwest Caregivers providing transportation and jokes for all to hear.
During his battle with Alzheimer’s, whenever family or friends would call, after each call, he would ask, “but are they happy?”. His love and legacy for family and friends was to ensure that everyone was happy. 
He is preceded in death by his parents James George and Florence Elaine Cline O’Neill, his brother Robert O’Neill, his sister-in-law Helen O’Neill, his brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Maree O’Neill, his sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Mike Walker and niece Nancy Walker. 
He leaves to celebrate the wonderful impact he made on many people’s lives, his devoted and loving wife of 53 years, daughter Kim, daughter Kelli and husband Ira and their children, Nash, Kira and Elexis Marie, son Mike and Melinda and their children, Eugene, Phillip and Ian, daughter Kathryn and husband Chris and their children, Jonathan, Matthew and Kasey, brother Rich and wife Mary Ann and numerous loving nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews.
A funeral service is planned for Monday, June 28th at 3:00pm at Immaculate Conception Church in Denton, TX.
The memorial service will be held on June 30th at 10:00am at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Austin, Texas.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to: St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Thomas More Church, 10205 Ranch Road 620 North, Austin, Texas 78726 or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Roses are red, violets are blue, you might not know it, but he’s here with you!
Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors, 2025 W. University Dr., Denton, Texas 76201 is in charge of arrangements.

This information was provided to the Journal-World as a paid tribute.

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