Marion Jean O'Neill

Our saintly mother, Jean O’Neill, passed into the welcome (and surely unfamiliar) peace and quiet of heaven on Nov. 15, 2014. She was 85.

The mother of seven unabashedly loud sons and widow of the gregarious late publicist and political consultant, Pat O’Neill, Jean maintained her faith in God and her sense of humor until the end, when she was surrounded by the large and wonderful family of which she was so fiercely proud.

A Catholic Mass of remembrance will be held on Friday, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. at Visitation Church, 5141 Main, followed by a reception/wake in the school gymnasium.

Jean was born on Oct. 6, 1929 in Omaha, Neb., to George and Marion (ne’ Coad) Wigert. A tow-headed tomboy, she loved to climb fences and trees (she broke her arm three times) and carry her white mouse, Minnie, in her pocket while being followed by her two pet ducks. From early on, and throughout her life, the sweet and diminutive Jean protected and nurtured her twin sister Janet, with exceptional love, patience and grace.

Jean moved with her parents and sisters Sally and Janet to Kansas City shortly after WW II, graduated from Southwest High School in 1947, and attended nursing school at the old St. Teresa’s College. She spent several happy summers working as a waitress and maid, and being flirted with by college-boy cowboys at Bryce Canyon Lodge in Utah. But in 1949 she met the handsome, wavy-haired, glib-talking Pat O’Neill and fell in love. They were married at Visitation Church in 1951. Having grown up with seven sisters, Pat wanted boys. So he and Jean had seven – Pat, Kevin, Danny, Mike, Tim, Terry and Steve, who in spite of themselves were the lights of their parents’ lives.

Jean’s and Pat’s marriage was a lifelong friendship and romance, marked by frequent sneak-away dates, after-parties at Starlight Theater, long dinners with friends and celebrities, and spontaneous (i.e., no kids) trips to Jamaica, San Francisco or Acapulco. They enjoyed a happy second honeymoon to Ireland just prior to Pat Sr.’s passing in 1999.

Jean was also pre-deceased by her parents, George and Marion, her sister, Janet, and her two infant daughters, Sean and Peggy. She is survived by her sister, Sally, of Tulsa, OK; sons Pat (Julie); Kevin (Gaye); Dan (Karen); Mike (Jennifer); Tim (Barbara); Terry (Nancy) and Steve (Karen). She leaves 24 loving grandchildren: Mike O’Neill (Jen), Keli Wenzel (John), and Darby O’Neill; Luke O’Neill, Melissa Bobby) Shissler and Mikaela O’Neill; Matt O’Neill, Brian (Yulia) O’Neill and Sean O’Neill; Courtney O’Neill, Molly O’Neill and Kara O’Neill; Hanna O’Neill, Cristina O’Neill and Faith O’Neill; Claire O’Neill, Peter O’Neill and Lily O’Neill; Etagegn O’Neill, Conor O’Neill, Patrick O’Neill, Asabe O’Neill, Hudson O’Neill and Emily O’Neill. She also leaves eight loving great-grandchildren: Maggie O’Neill, Harry O’Neill, Teddy O’Neill and Benji O’Neill; Charlie Wenzel, Maley Wenzel and Alex Wenzel; Addis O’Neill; and many nieces and nephews and “extra kids” she welcomed into the O’Neill houses on Rockhill and Sunset Drive.

The O’Neill family would like to offer a special thanks to Beth Murphy Dierks and Julie O’Neill for the compassionate and understanding care they provided for Jean in her final months, and also to the Continua hospice team, especially Karey Sneed. Capable and compassionate arrangements by Bob Kalkofen and our friends at McGilley Midtown Chapel. Fond memories of “Saint Jean” and condolences may be offered online at mcgilleymidtownchapel.com. Suggest donations in lieu of flowers to the Redemptorist Senior Center, 3333 Broadway, KCMO, 64111.