O'Neill Frederick Williamson ~
Fred O'Neill 62 of Port Orange
left us for his heavenly home on
Saturday December 1. His
his wife of 24 years and his
daughter were at his side.
Fred was born July 9 1950 to
Edith K. and Douglas J. O'Neill
in Utica NY and was raised in
the Episcopal Church. Fred graduated
Cum Laude with a B.S of B.A. in
Marketing from Nichols College
in Dudley Massachusetts in 1972.
He Moved to the Port Orange area
in 1973. He worked for over 20 years in the
automotive business. Soon after moving to
Florida he was employed at the local
Volkswagen Dealership as a Parts Manager
and then he was the Service Body Shop and
Parts Director for Friendly Motors
Mercedes-Benz from 1980-1995.
He graduated from Daytona Beach Community
College in 1997 and earned an Associates
of Arts in Graphic Design. He worked for
the Museum of Arts and Sciences
in Daytona Beach (1997-2006) and won
several awards for his work one of which
was an international competition for Graphic
Design. He also did free lance work for the
Halifax Humane Society Peabody Auditorium
Seaside Music Theater and the Halifax Art Festival.
He met his wife Becky (Rebecca Horton
Simmons) who was a Registered Nurse working
at Halifax on the Pediatric Unit in 1987
on a blind date set up by mutual friends.
They married a year later. Their daughter
Lauren Kayleigh O'Neill is following
in her mother's footsteps and is in
first semester of nursing school at
Daytona State College.
Fred's gentleness compassion easy going
disposition and wonderful sense of humor
was some of his best assets and the reason
that he was loved by so many. He was a wonderful
husband loving and devoted father brilliant
when it came to trivia of any category
a very talented artist and loved his family
and their pets with his whole heart. He treated
everyone with kindness compassion and consideration.
He truly believed in and lived by the golden rule
""Do unto others as you would have them do to you"".
He loved all living things trees flowers animals
and bugs as well. Fred often captured and
released bugs lizards or frogs that made their way
into his home. He also loved art and a wide variety
of music. He even attended the original Woodstock.
He had a great way of telling a story and usually
had a good one to tell. He had a special gift of making
people laugh out loud and he always had a fast ""come-back""
remark! His trademark was his gray wool Kangol cap
and he was also a big fan of Converse high top sneakers.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday
December 7 2012 in the Chapel of Baggett and Summers
Funeral Home 736 South Beach Street Daytona Beach.
The family will be receiving friends an hour prior
to the service.
Fred is survived by his wife: Rebecca O'Neill;
daughter: Lauren Kayleigh O'Neill;
stepsons: Corey Bradley Simmons and Christopher
Daniel Simmons; his sister: Martha O'Neill and
Brother in Law: Ken Kilner who live in Biloxi Miss.
and hundreds of wonderful neighbors and friends who
are like family to all of us. He is out of our sight
but he will never be out of our hearts!
In lieu of flowers he requests that donations be made
in his memory to either:
~ Lauren Kayleigh O'Neill Nursing School Education Fund
at Space Coast Credit Union - Dunlawton in Port Orange
~ Halifax Humane Society 2364 LPGA Blvd
Daytona Beach 32124
~ Hospice Volusia/Flagler 3800 Woodbrial Trail
Port Orange Florida 32129.
Condolences may be shared with the family at www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com.