James I. O'Neill 1927 - 2006

SCOLIARD, ONEILL, HANSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/27/2018 at 22:24:34

Sioux City Journal
18 January 2006

ONAWA, Iowa -- James I. O'Neill, 78, of Onawa died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2006, at Burgess Health Center in Onawa.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John's Catholic Church in Onawa, with the Rev. Raymond Wieling officiating. Burial will be in Onawa Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. today, with a Scriptural prayer service at 7 p.m., at Rush Family Care Service in Onawa.

James was born Oct. 28, 1927, in Waterbury, Neb., the only child of Ignatius "Nish" and Jessie (Scoliard) O'Neill. He was raised in Waterbury and graduated from Waterbury Catholic School in 1945. He joined the U.S. Army on March 27, 1946, and served in Japan during World War II. He was discharged on March 30, 1947. He attained the rank of staff sergeant.

He married Betty Hansen on Jan. 19, 1949, in South Sioux City. The couple made their home in Allen, Petersburg and South Sioux City, Neb., doing various jobs. They settled in Onawa in 1958 and along with his dad started O'Neill's Tavern, which until the present, he operated with his son, Gary.

He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church and the Monona County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2694. He always had a fond interest in horses and enjoyed horse racing.

Survivors include his wife, Betty of Onawa; two sons and their wives, Gary and Janet of Onawa and Steve and Cindy of Fredericksburg, Va.; a daughter and her husband, Mary Jo and Mike Dehn of Blencoe, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Jennifer (Jason) Lindsey, Misti (Josh) Frasier, Matt, Mark and Mitch Dehn and Scott and Brian O'Neill; and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.