RoseMary Ellen O’Neil passed away on January 28, 2023. She is survived by her husband Michael O’Neil, son Timothy O’Neil, daughter Ellen O’Neil, grandsons Aiden and Aaron O’Neil, and sister Judith Stumpf.
RoseMary was born on August 15, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri where she spent her formative years with her older brother Leonard, and sister Judith Stumpf. In 1963, after her mother passed, RoseMary moved to Bakersfield, California to be near her sister; then later relocated to Watts, California. She met Michael O'Neil at a Church social, where she was charmed by his sense of humor, and they were married on October 2, 1965. They fell in love with the Monterey Peninsula and moved to Pacific Grove, near Michael’s Aunt Daisy, who lived in Carmel. They welcomed their first child, Ellen, in 1966 and their son, Timothy in 1968. RoseMary was active in the Catholic Daughters of St. Angela’s parish, the PTA of Robert H. Down Elementary School, The Choraleers, and many other organizations.
Around 1970, she began classes at Monterey Peninsula College to become a Nurse. She went on to the Hartnell College Nursing Program and received her B.A. in Nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills. In her fifties, she went on to receive a Masters of Science degree in Diabetes Education from the University of California, San Francisco. RoseMary worked at Eskaton Hospital, Community Hospital, Visiting Nurses, Hospice, and also for Roger Schiffman, Oncologist. RoseMary was dedicated to Diabetes education and long-term care for all her patients over her life-long career. As late as 2020 she still worked a few days a month in the Diabetes Education Program at CHOMP. She was extremely active in the American Association of Diabetes Educators and attended many national conferences, and touched many lives through her work. The mentorship for nurses and exceptional patient care she provided will be fondly remembered by colleagues and patients alike.
RoseMary was a force of nature — curious, creative, determined, and engaging. RoseMary loved to travel. She and her sister, Judith, often visited her four nieces and childhood friends in Missouri. She traveled to many other cities in the United States, whether it was personal visits to family and friends or business adventures to AADE conferences; she loved being on the go. In 2016, she traveled with Judith to France. She loved learning about people and other cultures, evident by her travels to China, Vietnam, Botswana, Ireland, and many other international destinations.
RoseMary LOVED music. She was a gifted musician, taught piano lessons, and sang with the Choraleers Women’s Choir. She was an active volunteer and a huge fan of The Monterey Jazz Festival. She managed the main gate to the arena for many years. She cherished the Fall season when she could visit with all her Jazz Festival friends and enjoy the music she loved.
RoseMary loved to cook with her husband, Mike, and host big dinner parties for family and friends during the holidays and special occasions. Putting out the fancy china and silverware, playing Jazz on the stereo, lighting the candles, and preparing delicious dishes served hot all at the same time brought her great pleasure! She is fondly remembered for many of the O'Neil style celebrations.
A service will be held on February 25th at 11:00 am at Paul Mortuary in Pacific Grove. Donations may be made in RoseMary’s name to the American Diabetes Foundation (https://www.diabetes.org/
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