Ruth J. O'Neill

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Ruth Joyner O’Neill, who died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, January 11, 2019. She is survived by her two children, Sarah and Lawrence (Kelly) and her two grandchildren, Alyson and Sean, as well as a loving extended family: brother-in-law Paul Hallisey and his children and grandchildren. She is pre-deceased by her husband of 43 years, Lawrence T. O’Neill. The daughter of John Martin and Elizabeth Joyner (nee Healy), Ruth was born on February 24, 1938 in Winsted, CT. She graduated from The Gilbert School in 1956. She earned a BA in biology from the College of Notre Dame in Maryland in 1960, and a MA in biology from St Joseph College (West Hartford, CT) in 1968. In 1992, she retired from Middlesex Community College as a full professor, where she had established courses in nutrition and microbiology, and taught a variety of biological science courses. Ruth, with her husband Larry, raised her children in Berlin CT, where she served on the Berlin Board of Education for six years. They happily moved to Cape Cod in 2004, where she became a member of the St. Joan of Arc parish in Orleans, and subsequently a proud member of the church choir. She was an avid equestrian. In addition to her love of horses, she was a generous contributor to many animal rescue charities. She was also a proud member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, and a former member of the Greenwoods chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Winsted, CT. Visiting hours will be held at Nickerson Funeral Home in Orleans, MA on Tuesday, January 15th from 4-6 pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held at St Joan of Arc Church in Orleans MA on Wednesday, January 16th at 10 am. Burial will follow at the Orleans Cemetery. Donations in memory of Ruth can be made to The Animal Rescue League of Boston https://www.arlboston.org/donate/ Or MassAudubon https://www.massaudubon.org/get-involved/ways-to-give For online condolences please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com.