Helen Martha O'Neal

Helen Martha (Myres) O'Neal, 88 of Hazelwood, cherished wife, loving and devoted mother and adored grandmother, gently passed away in her home with loved ones at her bedside in the early morning May 19, 2023. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Martin de Porres in Hazelwood on Saturday June 24 at 10 am. Helen loved her Savior and her family passionately. She loved unconditionally, encouraged enthusiastically, taught patiently and prayed fervently. Helen made the mundane and usual fun and special. She lived a lifetime of learning, facilitating vocabulary games at our dinner table, earning a degree in education when she was 50 and her United States citizenship in 2013. She retired from Hazelwood School District. Helen was a voracious reader, enjoyed travel and camping in dozens of national parks across the country. Vibrant colors, gardens, birds and family brought her joy. This spring she spent much of her waking time on her deck, enjoying the garden and good company and we are forever grateful we had that quiet and still time with her. Helen is preceded in death by her mother, Mildred Ables and her daughters, Kathie (O'Neal) Eller and Tracy (O'Neal) Doner. She is survived by Rich O'Neal, her husband of 69 years. Dozens of people whose lives Helen touched know her as Grandma Helen who loved readily, recognizing that family is built on love whether or not blood relation. Also surviving Helen are: daughter, Debby (O'Neal) Jackson, Debby's husband Kent and their children Daniel Jackson and Abigail (Jackson) Rothrock and Helen's great-grandson Noah Rothrock from Overland Park, KS; son, David O'Neal, his wife Renee (King) O'Neal of Minneapolis, and their children Scott O'Neal, his wife Emily (Cavanaugh} and Helen's Great-granddaughter daughter Esther from Louisville; daughter Allie (O'Neal) Mauerer and her family, husband Ben Mauerer and Helen's great-grandchildren Gideon, Elijah, Caroline and Soren Mauerer from Burnsville; daughter Katie (O'Neal) Mahlum and her husband David; daughter Amy O'Neal and son Keith O'Neal also from Minneapolis; and daughter Erin (O'Neal) Dunham, her husband Scott and Helen's great-granddaughter Phoebe Leigh Helen Dunham of Phoenix; Daughter Judi (O'Neal) Brown of Hazelwood and Judi's daughter Sarah (lggens) Hodson, her husband Kenny and Helen's great grandson, Konnor from Kansas City; Tim and Char O'Neal from St. Peters; grandson Kyle Doner and his wife Kacie (Matson) Doner and Helen's great-granddaughter, Lakelyn, of Shawnee Kansas; grandson Jordan Eller and Helen's great children Brilynn, Emberlynn and Grayson also from St. Louis and son-in-law Dave (the late Tracy) Doner from Foristell MO and his son David (Jackie nee Borrson) Ryan Doner and their children; Price, Emma, Riley and Olin. Helen and Rich support children and their families through Shriners and St Jude and ask that you consider a memorial gift in lieu of flowers. Mail memorial gift to Shriners Hospitals for Children at PO Box 1525 Ranson, WV zip code 25438.or gift online at donorrelations@shrinernet.org Memorial gift to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by mail at 501 St. Jude, Memphis, TN zip code 37105, or online at www.stjude.org.

Helen Martha O'Neal

June 20, 1934 - May 19, 2023