Joy O'Neil (Gawler) O'Neil

Joy Laura O'Neil was born July 28, 1917 in Roseburg, Oregon to parents Delmont and Maude Gawler. She passed away on September 30, 2014 at the age of 97. Joy lived up to her name all of her life, spreading joy and kindness to everyone around her. A more gracious woman could never be found.
She is survived by her niece, Roxann and husband Tom Ellis, grandniece, Joyanna and husband Eric Bezdek and their sons Nick, Max, and Jake, grandnephew Ryan Ellis, and grandniece, Melinda and husband Harrison Clute and their son, River. Joy is also survived by her husband Denny's nieces, Shirley McGaugh of Vancouver, Washington and Diane Badden of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Joy attended Roseburg schools and graduated from RHS in 1936. She married Dennis O'Neil on January 18, 1940 and moved to Curry, Alaska, where he worked for the Alaska Railroad. Joy worked for the weather bureau there, reporting the cloud cover above the mountains in that isolated, deep canyon.
Denny was promoted to engineer and they moved to Fairbanks for a few years. Then they transferred to Anchorage, where they settled for the rest of Denny's 35-year career for the Alaska Railroad. Joy worked several years for Sears in the catalog department and was also active in the Women's Auxillary of the Alaska Yukon Pioneers Lodge.
In 1971, Joy and Denny moved back to Roseburg and enjoyed all the best things in life--family, friends, and especially each other.
She is preceded in death by her husband Denny, her brother Bill, and two infant sons, Dennis and Danny.
A graveside service will be held on Monday, October 6th at 11:00 am at Roseburg Memorial Gardens. The family is grateful for the excellent care that Joy received the last four months of her life at Chantele's Loving Touch in Sutherlin.
Contributions could be made for Alzheimer's research at Wilson's Chapel of the Roses, which is in care of arrangements.