Christina D. O'Neill

Many things can be said about Christina D. O’Neill. Known as a friendly, energetic, empathic and kind woman, her compassionate nature would always shine through, revealing her charm and warmth. She was strong, determined, and organized in all the things she sought to accomplish. Christina was a mentor, a natural “teacher” capable of seeing things clearly, leading others and bringing out the best in all of those around her.

Christina was born on April 7, 1971 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Towson, Maryland. Her parents were John and Elizabeth Smith. Christina was raised on Rose Street in Timonium, Maryland. When she was young, Christina's friends and family found that “happy” and “joyful” were perfect words to describe her. Even as a child, Christina demonstrated strong qualities of inner beauty, perception, and a disposition that was a delight to those around her.

As a young girl, Christina was imaginative, artistic, clever and a “novel” thinker. Regardless of whether her peers were older or younger, or came from different backgrounds, Christina could easily relate to them. She was an active child who took part in her church, community, and school activities. In her spare time she loved to read. Christina's memorable achievements included being an excellent student and a good friend to classmates and neighbors. However, to Christina, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with her adoring family.

During her high school years, Christina had a natural flair for cheering on and applauding just about everyone. She was constantly offering her support and encouragement to fellow members of the groups and activities in which she participated. She graduated from Dulaney High School in 1989. Teachers and classmates knew Christina as an excellent student. She placed a high value on learning and always understood that there was a new lesson or experience waiting for her just around the corner. She enjoyed all of her teachers and knew she wanted to be one when she grew up.

Christina did well in college, as a result of her dedication to learning. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Notre Dame University in 1993. Christina was on the Honor Roll and Dean's List for both undergraduate and graduate school. The skill of being a good communicator helped Christina immensely during her college days. She was comfortable with abstract information and theories and tended to thrive on the subjects that forced her to think. No matter what class it was, Christina was always very perceptive and embraced the mental challenges that her college experience provided. She also pursued graduate school, earning her Masters in Reading, achieving her Administration and Supervision certificate, and her National Board Teaching Certification. In each of the endeavors, she was on the Honor Roll, the Dean’s list, or at the highest and most distinguished level of accomplishment.

On July 10, 2004 Christina married Patrick O'Neill at the Our Lady of Grace of Parkton, MD. Compassionate and devoted, Christina worked hard to make her family happy. She was always generous with her time and this meant that Patrick, Grace, and Ally came first in Christina’s book. Christina was an amazing mother to her girls. She shared her love of life, her faith, joy, and determination with Grace and Ally. Her children completely adored her as a result of her tremendous dedication to them.

Christina experienced success in her work life over and over again. Her primary occupation was teaching. She was employed for 24 years by Harford County Public Schools. Christina always made the effort to understand what was needed at work, and was well known by her colleagues as a team player.

Christina took pride in managing her professional responsibilities and seemed to always know what was necessary to successfully complete a project. Christina was one to take the initiative and her skills at working cooperatively were highly valued. Christina continually sought to lift and inspire others to maximize their potential and create a positive teaching community.

Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Christina was given accolades for her many and varied efforts throughout her teaching career life. Some of her most prestigious awards included being named HCPS Teacher of the Year in 2012, being recognized as BAMS Staff Member of the Month, and achieving National Board Certification in 2017.

Throughout her life, Christina was actively involved in professional and community organizations. Christina’s involvement could easily help structure and organize any part of a community endeavor. An added benefit was Christina’s ability to bring valued principles along with her. Throughout her years, Christina was an active member of Our Lady of Grace Church, teaching Sunday School and participating in the Children's Theatre.

Christina passed away on September 22, 2018 at St. Joseph's hospital from a brain aneurysm after a long, brave battle with Stage IV Lung Cancer. She is survived by her children, Grace and Ally, her husband, Patrick, and her parents, Libby and John. Services were held at Our Lady of Grace Church on September 26, 2018.

Throughout her life, Christina was a joyful, happy, kind, and faithful woman. She was generous in sharing her personal attributes, giving and helping those she knew and loved. Christina leaves behind her a legacy of life-long friendships and cherished memories. Everyone whose lives she touched will dearly remember Christina D. O'Neill.

The family will receive friends at Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley, Inc., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Tuesday, September 25 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. A Celebration of Christina’s life will be held at Our Lady of Grace Church, 18310 Middletown Road, Parkton, Maryland 21120 on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at 11:00am. Interment Private.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in Christina’s memory to Kelly’s Dream, For Grace and Allyson’s education, P.O. Box 36 Perry Hall, Maryland 21128, www.kellysdream.org.

A Guest Book is available at www.lemmonfuneralhome.com

Eulogy Given at Christina's Funeral

A famous poet once wrote, “there is in every woman’s true heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.” Oh, Christina O’Neill, how you had a true heart, filled with heavenly fire both in times of prosperity and profound adversity. That flame burned bright your entire life, providing a beacon for all who knew and loved you.

Libby and John, Patrick, Grace and Ally, family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, students, parents of students, and all those who encountered Christina on her various walks of life, I humbly address you as just one of her countless dear friends.

To prepare for this moment, I looked up the meaning and origin of that word, “friend.” It comes from Old English and is defined as a bond between two people characterized by deep love, mutual understanding and compassion, enjoyment of one another’s company, profound trust, and expression without fear of judgment. One of Christina’s unique gifts was that she made ALL of the people in her life feel as if they were a dear, cherished friend, a very BEST friend. And she made sure to connect, inspire, and love you no matter if you were her first best friends...her parents; her dear husband, Patrick; her beautiful girls, Grace and Ally, or countless others who felt that deep connection of true and lasting friendship with her.

As we take a little journey through Christina’s life, it will be filled with quotes that she gave to me during tough times, and I offer them back to you so that her loving wisdom will shine brightly throughout what I will share.

According to a Native American Proverb, “the soul would have no rainbow, had the eyes had no tears.” Did you see all of the rainbows yesterday? Not long after her diagnosis, she told me that she somehow always knew that she would die young. Even with that early whisper from God and the eventual diagnosis, she chose to live a life of rainbows...of joy, happiness, love, and hope. And that’s the thing. She made a choice. And she never wavered in that choice.

Her choice of faith came from her beloved parents, Libby and John. On Mother’s Day of this past year, Christina posted on Facebook, “Through it all, you, Libby, direct me to the foundation of faith that you’ve built with me since my younger days. I know there’s more that awaits me because of your teaching. I know that God is here because of your example.”

That profound faith became a thread as she tackled the joys and challenges of a full life. In 47 years, she accomplished more than most could accomplish in 147 years. She went to college and became a teacher, beginning her career at Edgewood Middle School and ending it at Bel Air Middle, just this past year. In addition to a typical teaching assignment, she began intervention and character education programs, taught college and inservice classes, served on her beloved Literacy Team, and was named HCPS Teacher of the Year in 2012. According to another poet, “Each thing she learned became a part of herself, to be used over and over in new adventures.” And that’s how she saw it all, a grand, happy teaching adventure, to be embraced with that spark of heavenly fire and dedicated to students and fellow teachers.

Even though she loved teaching, it was not the center of her life. One enchanted evening, across a crowded room, at DuClaw’s... she met the love of her life, Patrick. She and I were out together, and I remember that night like it was last night. He came over and he and I reconnected from our childhood youth group days, but the truth is he was just staring at Christina the whole time, smitten with her beautiful red hair, her high heels, her glow, and her smile. I remember him struck particularly by her lipstick, asking her exactly how she made her lips so incredibly perfect! I think we all wondered that...

And from there came the truest center of her life, Grace and Ally. Martina McBride sang, “I have been blessed with so much more than I deserve, to be here with the ones that love me. To love them so much it hurts.” Grace and Ally, your mom loved that song way before you both were born, and that was another God whisper. She prayed to have you, was in awe of each of you, thanked God for you daily, hourly, moment-by-moment, and loved you with every last fiber of her being. Literally. Seeing you laugh, play, and grow with the fabulous O’Neill clan, watching you on the beach with beloved family and friends, taking you on summer adventures, going to the pool, watching you thrive in school, sports, and theatre, rocked her whole world with true happiness and joy.

It would have been so easy, and we would have all understood, if Christina had chosen to be very private and closed off after her diagnosis. But that’s not what she did. She took that warrior heart of hers and looked for rainbows wherever she went. She took Teacher of the Year and the concepts of faith, family, and friendship to whole new levels. On March 13th, her Facebook post read, “Dear Today, I woke up, and therefore am blessed to have a day that I did not have before, to perhaps be a message of hope or strength to someone else. The pity party was not well attended.” And that’s just it. Was she grief stricken? Yes. Did she feel abandoned or forsaken? At times, yes. But she NEVER stayed in those dark places. She made a choice with every last breath she took. She lived in faith and hope. And that’s the lesson from this Life Teacher of the Year, whom we will never forget.

In the Secret Garden, Francis Burnett wrote, “The sun is shining, the sun is shining. THAT is the magic. The flowers are growing. The roots are stirring. That is the magic. Being alive is the magic. Being strong is the magic. The magic is in me. It is in everyone of us.” She shared this quote with me when times in her life were good. She lived this quote when times in her life got very bad. This is part of the legacy she leaves to us. Make a choice. See the magic in the little things. See the magic in this short earthly LIFE. Dream of the magic of the next one.

And that brings us to the heavenly life she is now living. As our hearts rest easier, knowing she is at peace, let me share with you a little story. One night back in January, she called me sobbing. Of course, I dropped everything, knowing that something terrible could be happening. She proceeded to tell me that she was watching a show about the tallest person in the world, a 19-year-old young man from Texas, who was 7 feet, 8 inches tall, and still growing. And then she said, “I am so sad I am never going to see Texas...and I don’t even know why I am crying because I don’t even want to see Texas!” Being a thinker, and already passionate about RVs and campers, I said, “Don’t worry, I am going to buy a camper and we will travel the country, and we WILL see Texas!”

Well, you oughta see her in that heavenly camper now...visiting all the places she never got to see and doing all of the things she never got to do. She is once again kicking up those high heels, sporting that perfect lipstick, wearing an outfit with great style and pizazz, and bringing a whole lotta beauty and grace to heaven. And she can go to Texas now if she wants! But of course, she is watching over her precious family.

As hard as this is right now, through all of the heartache and tears, it is our obligation to Christina to live out her legacy. As parents, lead by example, a life of faith and goodness. As spouses, be loyal and devoted. As children, honor and cherish our parents. As teachers, guide with love and compassion. As friends, give and forgive with a full heart. As students, embrace the adventure of learning. As community members, show up with your time and your talent. See OTHERS. Lift their burden. Have a heart big enough to LOVE everyone. And suddenly you will find, like Christina did, that your burden, no matter how great, is a little lighter.

On January 31st, the night before one of her chemo treatments, she was so low and we spoke that evening about her tremendous sadness. But she wrote on Facebook later, “God sent his word, “Isaiah 61 – 3: The Lord has sent me to bestow on the brokenhearted a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

Christina Smith O’Neill, you wore a crown of faithful beauty to the very end, provided constant joy to others, and chose to sing God’s praises even in the most desperate times. We are forever graced with the spark of your heavenly fire. We will miss you terribly but are rejoicing that you are forever in the loving arms of our beloved Lord.

Peace and blessings to each of you.