Marilyn R. (DaSilva) O’Neil, age 81 of Dartmouth, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 28, 2020 in Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI. She was the wife of Jay R. O’Neil, to whom she had been married for 60 years.
Born in New Bedford, the daughter of the late Albino and Angelina (Arujo) DaSilva, she was a graduate of New Bedford High School and went on to receive her Associates Degree from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Boston.
Mrs. O’Neil was employed as Clinical Research Director for over 40 years. She was employed with Truesdale Clinic in Fall River, Hawthorne Medical, Allergy Associates and Northeast Clinical Research all of Dartmouth until her retirement in 2004.
Marilyn was an accomplished seamstress, who enjoyed making costumes for her grandchildren and on occasion for theatre productions. She was a participant in the Miss New Bedford pageant and played the piano. Marilyn also loved being outdoors and enjoyed tending to her many beautiful flower gardens at home.
In addition to her husband of 60 years, she is survived by three sons, Michael O’Neil and his wife Cheryl of New Bedford, Kevin O’Neil and his wife Dawn of San Diego, CA and JJ O’Neil and his longtime companion Paula D’Almeida of New Bedford; five grandchildren Haylee, Alexis, Kyleigh, Alicia and Nicholas O’Neil and two extended family granddaughters Melissa Rock and Megan Hludzik and six extended family great grandchildren.
Her Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 from 5 to 8PM in the WARING-SULLIVAN HOME AT DARTMOUTH, 230 Russells Mills Rd, Dartmouth. Flowers are welcome or memorial contributions in her honor may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Her Funeral Mass and Burial will be private. For online tribute and directions, please visit: www.waring-sullivan.com
********EULOGY********
There is a special place in heaven for the mother of three boys”, was something heard frequently in the O’Neil household.
As far back as I can remember, my brothers and I were a handful to say the very least. Our mother was an only child in a rather strict, Portuguese household and so being introduced to the shenanigans of three very active, and often times pushing the limits boys, was a complete life re-education for the woman who went to charm and elocution school.
Early on, with the typical activities of Little League baseball and Boy Scouts, mom was always running here or there keeping us occupied. Later, after moving away from all her family and friends to a small town in Missouri, mom would open our home to everyone. Mom quickly found her passion in the Community Council of the Performing Arts as a costume maker and designer for many productions while becoming famous for fashioning regal garments for a production of Camelot out of old draperies from local churches and historical homes.
Another move back to New England brought a new chapter to mom’s life where she entered her career as a Clinical Research Site Manager. Through her nearly forty years in this profession came the birth of her first granddaughter. Granddaughter number one filled her life with so much joy until granddaughter number two arrived six years later and quickly followed by granddaughter number three a year after that. Mom was a master of sharing herself selflessly among her three girls that she so often times said were the girls that she always hoped she had. In true mom fashion, with the adoption of two more grandchildren, yet another girl and finally a boy, mom’s love seemed to know no bounds. The addition of a couple “instant granddaughters” and their subsequent children just expanded her love.
Many, many years passed with many, many fun filled Christmas Eves; an event where extended family, friends and neighbors gathered for good food, a few drinks and the piles of presents for all the children that were present. I personally remember many times ringing the “sleigh bells” outside the family room doors and then running around the house to catch the last bits of wrapping paper being ripped away from presents.
The years passed and mom battled a few chronic illnesses that began to take their toll on her health. The family gatherings became fewer and farther between. The number of attendees dwindled as children grew and moved on to their own lives. Near the very end, mom would make every effort to put on events like she used to, but her limitations would often put a halt to even the best of plans.
Unfortunately the year 2020 brought mom’s life to an end. It signaled the end of sixty years of marriage and the endless and selfless love she had for her family. The woman who loved so many and was loved by even more, passed quietly in her sleep on December 28, 2020. Mom, may you find rest and peace and remember to tell Jesus as you pass into heaven, “there is a special place here for me, right?? After all, I am the mother of three boys and by the way, please take your shoes off.”.
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