Carolyn Ethel O'Neil

Born in Central Falls, Rhode Island, Carolyn Savoie O’Neil was raised in Lincoln, Rhode Island, as the eldest of five children.

Carolyn studied at Boston University, majoring in French. It was in Boston where she met the love of her life, Bill O’Neil. She later earned an associate's degree in accounting and worked for a number of years as a freelance tax preparer. Trained in ballet as a teenager, Carolyn eventually developed a love of running and then spent two decades as a fitness instructor at the YMCA. An avid dog enthusiast, Carolyn bred and exhibited several breeds of show dogs, fulfilling a long-held dream when one of her dogs competed at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Clever and adventurous, Carolyn embraced a variety of interests, including skiing, hunting, fishing, and horseback riding. She taught herself to sew from a book and made clothing for herself and her daughters throughout their childhood. Family members knew her as an imaginative storyteller, entertaining people with colorful tales told with great enthusiasm and passion. She delighted in giving family members whimsical nicknames and was especially generous in remembering loved ones on birthdays and at Christmas. Carolyn was well-known for her delicious homemade apple pies, which she lovingly shared with friends during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Carolyn is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 63 years, William C. O’Neil, jr.; her four daughters, Suzanne Malone (Mike), Heather Thomas (Bill), Kristie Postero (Quinn), and Hillary Cooper (Ed); her seven grandchildren, Evan Thomas (Lynn), Carolyn Cooper Forshey (Chase), Ryan Thomas, Leighton Cooper, Christoph Postero, Michael Malone, and Liam Postero; and two great-grandchildren, Hillary Forshey and Sophie Thomas. She is also survived by her sisters, Jackie Medina and Janet Savoie, and her brother, Bud Savoie. She was preceded in death by her parents, Upton and Ethel Savoie, and her sister, Paula Roll.

Carolyn took great pride in her husband, children and grandchildren and was a steadfast supporter of their hobbies, interests, and endeavors. She will be remembered with love by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Henry Catholic Church in Nashville, Tennessee. A reception will follow at 11:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Nashville Humane Association or the Alzheimer’s Association.