OBITUARY: Shirley Marie O’Neil

Shirley Marie (Killfoil) O’Neil was born to Fred and Lyla Killfoil in Newton on Oct. 6, 1945.

She met the love of her life, Sean O’Neil, in 1981, and they were married on June 25, 1988. She worked at Kidron Bethel Retirement Services as a CNA for more than 25 years. She loved her job and made lasting friendships with co-workers and families she took care of.  She always helped with daycare for her grandchildren and was known as “Grandma Shirley” to all the neighborhood kids throwing summer bash parties at her house with pizza, ice cream and water balloon fights. She volunteered as a “grandma” at Apple a Day Preschool for two years until her eyesight wouldn’t allow her to do so any longer. She was a loving woman with the biggest heart that never met a stranger.

At her heavenly homecoming was her husband, Sean O’Neil, her parents, brother, Elton Lee Killfoil, sister, Mary Hanke and two granddaughters, Natalie Savage and Lanna Redger.

Her family left to mourn her are her four children, Larry (Mary) Savage of Soldier, Susan (Rick) Redger, Alvin (Tena) Savage and Tammie (Jim) Schmidt, all of Newton, brothers Jerry Killfoil of Newton and Jim Killfoil of Grand Forks, N.D., sisters Jane Carrell of Newton and Carolyn Smith of Pleasant View, Fla.; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral service was at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 31, at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel in Newton with Pastor Scott Kliewer presiding. Visitation was from 1-5 p.m., Sunday, at Petersen Funeral Home. Burial was in the Church of God of the Firstborn Cemetery in rural Newton.

Memorials are suggested to Caring Hands Humane Society, in care of Petersen Funeral Home.

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