William O'Neil

William G. O'Neil, age 86, of 108 Hungry Creek Road went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, July 4, 2009. A former resident of Salem, NJ, he had resided in Cruso of Haywood County for the past 14 years. Bill was the son of the late William and Annie Presnell O'Neil. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Irma Cronier O'Neil; two daughters, "Little Annie" and Ann; three brothers; five sisters; and a granddaughter. Bill was a professional commercial painter and barber and enjoyed woodworking crafts. He was a United States Army veteran serving in World War II in the South Pacific. He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Evelyn Maples O'Neil; two sons, William, Jr., and his wife, Betty, of Sumter, SC, and Tommy of Salem, NJ; a daughter, Wanda Girtain of Chester, VA; two stepchildren, Billy O'Neil and his wife, Kim, of Gainesville, GA and Carolyn Smathers and her husband, Mike, of Canton; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two step grandchildren, and three great step grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, 2009, at the Canton Chapel of Wells Funeral Home with the Reverend Greg Cullen officiating. Burial will follow at Gwyn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Bud Smith, Randy Pope, Brent Slayden, Heath Smathers, John Still, and Tommy O'Neil, Jr. Honorary pallbearers will be Toss and Ben Smathers. Memorials may be made to Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice, 560 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, NC 28721 or to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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