Published in the July 3, 2015 edition
MELROSE — Lorraine Rose (Boyle) O’Neill, 86, a longtime resident of Melrose and Hampton Beach, N.H., passed away peacefully, surrounded by love, on Sunday, June 28, after an extended illness at the Oosterman Rest Home in Melrose.
Lorraine was lovingly cared for by all the wonderful staff at the Oosterman Rest Home and by Rosana Barclay of Everett and Ritah Nakandi of Watertown. Lorraine’s family will be forever grateful for the kindness, care and compassion they gave Lorraine each and every day.
Lorraine was born in Cambridge on Aug. 13, 1928, a daughter of the late James “Shorty” Boyle and Rose Aimee (Roy) Boyle.
Lorraine first worked with her brother Paul Boyle, a magician, as his magician’s assistant helping him at shows all over Boston. Lorraine later studied to be a lab technician and worked at a hospital in Gardiner, Maine and later in St. Margaret Hospital and the International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union clinic in Boston. After marrying her husband, Bob O’Neill of Medford, she left her medical career to devote herself to her family and raising her five children.
In addition to raising her family, Lorraine helped her husband run Columbia Equipment Co. and McGuirk Electronics, semiconductor and industrial equipment businesse, and also owned and managed O’Neill Cottages, a seasonal beach cottage rental business in Hampton Beach, N.H. for more than 50 years. Along with the help of many beach friends who helped with cottage maintenance and parking cars in her parking lot, Lorraine helped countless families enjoy a fun filled vacation by the sea year after year and put a smile on their faces as they were relieved to find a parking space in her parking lot off the beaten path.
She also enjoyed talking, laughing and spending time with family and friends on the porch of her cottage, 17 Auburn Ave, year after year. Even in her final illness, memories of Hampton Beach kept Lorraine’s spirit going and provided happy reminiscences every day of the year. Hampton Beach will forever be in her heart.
Lorraine was a 60-year resident of Melrose and parishioner of the Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Wakefield. She loved card games, bowling and entertaining a large close-knit group of family and friends especially at Christmas time at her fun-filled Yankee Swap. She loved to play competitive bridge with the Melrose Bridge Group at the Milano Senior Center for many years.
She was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend who will be greatly missed by all, and remembered forever in our hearts
Lorraine was the devoted wife of 48 years of the late Robert J. O’Neill. She was the beloved mother of Robert J. O’Neill Jr. of Hampton Beach, N.H.; John F. O’Neill of Hyannis, Patricia M. O’Neill of Chelmsford and Paul T. O’Neill and his wife Sarah O’Leary of Melrose, and the late Michael J. O’Neill of Hampton, N.H. She was the loving Grammy to Bobby James, John Jr., Patrick, Emily, Tarekegn and Dikate O’Neill and her two great-grandchildren Kylie O’Neill and Jackson O’Neill. Lorraine was the loving sister of Lucille Herlihy of Cambridge, Bernadette Ferreira of Melrose and the late Paul Boyle of Cambridge, Mary Vivian Gardner of Rockland and Geraldine Westberry of Jacksonvile, Fla. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Lorraine also leaves behind her lifelong, very special friends William and Eleanor McGuirk and all the McGuirk family.
Relatives and friends were invited to attend Lorraine’s Funeral on Thursday, July 2, at 9 a.m. from The Carr Funeral Home, 1159 Main St., Melrose followed by her funeral Mass in the Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 1155 Main St., Wakefield at 10 a.m.
Committal service at Woodlawn Cemetery Chapel, Everett.
In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in Lorraine’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown MA 02472.
