CHERRY VALLEY: Jame E. O'Neil, 85, of Main St., in the Cherry Valley section of Leicester, died with his family at his side, Wednesday, Dec. 13 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, after a long illness.
His wife of 64 years, Dorothy M. (Gaffney) O'Neil, died in 2015. He leaves his daughters Kathleen A. Corley and her husband Steven of Rochdale, and Susan M. Lauder and her husband Thomas of Leicester, two sisters Margaret Partenheimer and Elizabeth Larson both of Leicester, three grandchildren Amy Schrader and her husband Marc of Leicester, Marc Corley of Smithfield, RI, and Katherine Lauder of Simsbury, CT, great granddaughters Madelyn & Lilly Schrader. He also leaves his brother-in-law Robert Gaffney and his wife Ruth of Auburn, along with several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by a grandson Andrew Lauder in 2015, brothers Rev. Leo O'Neil, Daniel O'Neil and a sister Mary O'Neil.
Jim was a longtime truck driver for several area trucking companies and most recently Red Star Express, retiring in 1992.
Born in Worcester, the son of Leo ‘Cap’ and Margaret (Mulvey) O'Neil, he attended Leicester High School and then served his country with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was an active and loyal member of the Cherry Valley American Legion Post 443, Teamsters Union Local 170, and St. Joseph/St. Pius X Parish.
He taught his family life long lessons about patriotism, religion, honesty and his true specialty, how to drive safely. He was the family repair man and could fix most anything around the house. Jim spent his summers at the Cape with family, keeping everyone on their toes with his dry wit . He even finished the Falmouth Road Race one year. Each winter Jim, his beloved wife, Dottie and often his grandchildren would drive to Florida to spend his time sightseeIng and photographing his family. He also traveled by train across the country on two occasions to see the sights out west. He enjoyed seeing his friends at church and getting together with his Teamster buddies for breakfasts. (He loved to joke about working under Jimmy Hoffa.) His greatest joy was spending time with his family, especially his great grandchildren, Maddie and Lily.
Jim's funeral will be held on Saturday, Dec. 16, from the MORIN FUNERAL HOME, 1131 Main St., Leicester with a Mass at 11 a.m. in St. Pius X Church, 1153 Main St., Leicester. Burial with Military Honors will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Leicester. Calling hours are Friday, Dec. 15th. from 5 to 7 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Andrew Lauder Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Country Bank, 1084 Main St., Leicester, MA 01524.