Herb O'Neal

He leaves behind his wife of 52 years Margaret (McGowan) O’Neal; his son Tim O’Neal wife Carolyn, his daughter; Kim Kalahar and husband Dave, his daughter; Lisa Wagner and husband Wayne, six grandchildren and six great grandchildren; and many friends.

Born and raised in the tiny town of Houghton-Hancock in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the son of Herbert and Pat (Melville) O’Neal. Herb always talked about how it snowed 200’ in one winter and that wasn’t even a record for Houghton-Hancock.

Herb served his country in the Army National Guard from 1950-1959. People would show respect for him by calling him sir and he would always say “no need to call me sir, I was just an enlisted man.”

Herb had many hobbies throughout his life including golf, bowling, fishing, hunting, archery, water skiing, dancing, snowmobiling and mentoring alcoholics. He was sober 52 years and mentored hundreds of alcoholics, including obtaining a certification to mentor those in the Texas prison system. AA had to make a special “coin” for Herb on his 51st anniversary of being sober.

He and Marge spent many happy years in their RV traveling the United States and Canada after retirement, before settling in Texas and then moving to Colorado two years ago.

He passed out in 2010 and suffered a brain bleed and a broken back (for the second time) and during surgery was diagnosed with Malignant Hyperthermia (allergic reaction to anesthesia) and suffered a 105.9 fever while in a coma for more than 60 days. Only his strength allowed him to keep pushing through the rough road he would have ahead. AA’s “one day at a time” motto got him through it.

Herb went public with his love for singing later in life. He loved to sing with the band at Pepe’s in Texas and had the ladies singing the “Let me, let me, let me” chorus when singing “You never even called me by my name” by David Allen Coe.

Services will be held at Howe Mortuary Monday, March 6, 2017 at 2pm. A gathering of friends and family will take place at St. Vrain Manor, 606 Pratt St. immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made directly to the family and sent to Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman St. Longmont, CO. 80501 Share condolences at howemortuary.com