Kenneth G. O'Neil

Kenneth O’Neil of Largo passed away January 12, 2014. He was born on May 20, 1927 to Edythe and James F. O’Neil in Manchester, New Hampshire. Ken attended Webster Grammar school and Central High school graduating in June of 1945. He entered the U.S. Navy on July 15th of that year and was sent to Aviation Radioman school in Millington, TN. After graduating he qualified for pilot training and was sent to Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. When the war ended he was discharged and then attended the University of New Hampshire. In October of 1948 he attended Aviation Training School in Boston, MA, where he met his wife, Betty, who pre-deceased him in December of 2009, marrying her in 1951. Eastern Airlines hired him prior to his graduation in November 1948, sending him to Washington DC. He later transferred to Bradley Field, Windsor Locks, CT. While with Eastern he joined the U.S. Air Force and was sent to Germany where he became a Control Tower operator at Rhein Main (AFB) Airport in Frankfort. After his tour in Germany he was sent back to the States where he became a radar operator in Traverse City, MI, and later back to Tower Operator at Mitchel Field, Long Island, NY. After his discharge he returned to Easter Airlines before leaving them and joining Delta Airlines on March 5, 1956. He served Delta as a ground supervisor in Newark, NJ, Kennedy, then Idlewild, NYC, and in 1968 was transferred to Tampa, FL, where he retired in 1991. Ken volunteered his spare time as a volunteer firefighter in Wantagh, NY and the Town & Country area where he became Chief of the West Hillsborough Volunteer Fire Department from 1976 to 1982, retiring from the fire service also in 1991. He was a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs as well as a life member of the American Legion Post 2, of Manchester, New Hampshire. Ken is survived by his daughter Linda Polito, and her husband Frank of Powder Spring, Ga, daughter, Patricia O’Neil of Madeira Beach, FL, son, Douglas O’Neil and his wife Sodany of Orlando, FL, son, Dennis O’Neil of Madeira Beach, FL, and daughter, Lori Skidmore and her husband Joe, of Largo, FL, and two grandsons, Shane O’Neil and his wife Aimee, of Tampa, FL and Ryan O’Neil, of Orlando, FL. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.