Talented athlete and ballroom dancer; his engineering skills were instrumental in design of IRP and turf field
NORTH READING – Michael G. O’Neill, beloved husband of the late Janet (Connolly) O’Neill, passed away on July 21, 2023.
Born in Middletown, County Armagh, Ireland, on May 29, 1943, he was the loving son of the late Michael and Margaret O’Neill.
Michael grew up in Ireland and came by boat to America in 1962, landing in New York and traveling to Medford where he resided with his parents, sister and brother. A fond memory of his was discovering Dilboy Stadium in nearby Somerville and the Gaelic Athletic Association.
A talented athlete, he joined the County Cavan Gaelic Football team and served as Assistant Secretary. Michael and Janet met on a blind date, and eventually settled in North Reading to raise their family.
Michael graduated from Northeastern University and became a Professional Civil Engineer, having worked for Edwards and Kelcey and the Boston Water Sewer Commission until he started his own business, O’Neill Associates, in North Reading. He used his engineering expertise to help create valued recreation space for the town. As a member of the Land Utilization Committee, Michael was instrumental in the design of Ipswich River Park, and later designed the turf field at the North Reading High School.
He was an accomplished ballroom dancer and enjoyed playing the piano and harmonica. He was an excellent cook and was known for his Irish soda bread, chicken marsala, apple pies and Christmas cakes. Michael was at home in the outdoors, spending his time fly fishing, gardening, planting flowers and teaching his grandchildren about the birds in the yard. He was a fixture on the sidelines of his grandchildren’s sports, rain or shine.
Adding to his volunteer efforts, he was a soccer coach for many years, assisted in bringing the Fall Kick-Off Classic soccer tournament to North Reading, was Co-President of Friends Fighting Breast Cancer, a charity started by his late wife, and served as a member of Trout Unlimited. Michael was a true gentleman, dedicated to his family and town, and will be sorely missed.
Michael is the devoted father of Michael R. O’Neill and his fiancé, Andrea Kincer, of Florida, and Katie Britton and her husband Curtis of North Reading. He is the cherished grandfather of Kevin and Owen Britton and the loving brother of Maureen Wallis of Scituate and Sean O’Neill and his wife Julie of Florida. He was also the beloved uncle of Sean Wallis, Sean O’Neill, and Molly and Nora Leach, and the loving brother-in-law of Joanne Leach and her husband Michael of Wakefield.
His funeral was held from the Cota Funeral Home, 335 Park St., North Reading, on Monday, July 31, at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass celebrated at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter St., North Reading at 10:30 a.m. Interment followed in Riverside Cemetery, North Reading.
Many family and friends paid their respects to the family during visiting hours at the Cota Funeral Home on Sunday, July 30.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Michael’s memory to North Reading Youth Soccer: NRYS, PO Box 249, North Reading, MA 01864 with the memo “O’Neill Scholarship.”
