O'NEILL, Kevin Dennis - b. July 9, 1954 - d. August 3, 2022

[patyrn]

Kevin Dennis O'Neill, age 68, of Fredonia, Kansas, passed away on August 3, 2022 at Fredonia Regional Hospital in Fredonia.  He was born July 9, 1954 in Okeene, Oklahoma, the son of Eugene Edward "Jim" and Lenora (Luebbers) O'Neill.

Kevin graduated from Okeene High School in 1972.  He later attended St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kansas.  He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma.  On August 12, 1978, he was united in marriage to Connie Gillespie in Moline, Kansas. 

Kevin worked as an Industrial Arts/Shop teacher at West Elk High School in Howard, Kansas.  He then moved to Fredonia where he taught at Altoona-Midway High School in Altoona, Kansas and also taught Industrial Arts/Shop classes.  After many years as a teacher, Kevin was employed with Lafarge Cement Company for 14 years.

Whle he was working for the cement plant, he took classes from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas and received his Masters Degree in Industrial Arts.  In 1990, he became Instructor of Engineering Technology and Drafting at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas for the next 24 years. 

Kevin enjoyed bowhunting for deer, woodworking, and he loved to tinker with lawnmowers and trailers.  He also like fly-fishing, fly-tying, taking pictures of wildlife, and nature watching.  He was known as the real MacGyver as he could fabricate and fix almost anything.  After he retired, he spent a lot of his free time at the Kitchen Table visiting with family and friends. 

Kevin was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fredonia, Knights of Columbus, Board of Regents for Junior Colleges, and Kansas Bowhunters Association.  He also helped start the FAB Lab at ICC in Independence, was a Boy Scout Leader and was a Little League baseball coach.

Survivors include his wife, Connie of the home; his children, Brian (Lisa) O'Neill of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Jennifer (Nicholas) Pfizenmaier of Clay Center, Kansas, and Sean (Lesli) O'Neill of Ellinwood, Kansas; his grandddaughter, Frances O'Neil of Ellinwood, Kansas; his siblings, Karen (Gene) Bunker of Dodge City, Kansas, Father John O'Neill of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Mary Johnson of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Patrick (Diane) O'Neill of Burke, Virginia; and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his father and mother-in-law, Wilbur and June Gillespie; and his brother-in-law, Scott Johnson.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2022 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1223 Madison Street, Fredonia, Kasnas with Father Stuart Smeltzer, celebrant.  The Rosary will be recited at 7;00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at the church.  The family will receive friends from 6;00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., also at the church. Burial will take place at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Fredonia. Memorial remembrances are suggested to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church or Wounded Warrior Project and may be left with or mailed to Wickham Family Funeral Home, 510 N. 7th, Fredonia, Kansas 66736 which has been entrusted with arrangements.

(taken from the Wickham Family Funeral Home website)