Obituary of Robert "Bob" O'Neill

Robert “Bob” Preston O’Neill, age 98 of Randolph, passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at the Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan, surrounded by his family.

He was born on December 27, 1920 on the family farm in rural Geary County, Kansas, the son of Robert Emmett and Sarah Charlotte (Crider) O’Neill.  He graduated from St. George High School in 1939.

On June 17, 1939, he was married to Kathleen “Kate” Cordts.  She survives.

Bob was a lifetime farmer and enjoyed his Hereford cattle.  He was an avid sports fan, watching and discussing sports, playing poker and pitch with family and friends and taking drives around the countryside looking at the land.  He loved hunting and dancing, even calling square dances.  He served on the 4-H Board and was a school board member at Blue Valley U.S.D. 384 from 1970-1978. In 1959, he drove a mixer truck during the construction of the longest bridge at the time in Kansas over the Big Blue River between Randolph and Olsburg and worked for Busboom and Rauh Construction building the high school, grade school and church in Randolph, which were completed in 1961.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Peggy Jo O’Neill (Larry Aschermann) of Carthage, Missouri and Pamala “Pamo” O’Neill (T.C. Griffay) of Manhattan; one son, Robert “Bobby” O’Neill of Lenexa; one son-in-law, James Hefner of Denver, Colorado; one brother, Leon O’Neill (Carol) of Manhattan; one sister-in-law, Coe O’Neill of Manhattan; three grandsons, Mike Samuelson (Lora) of Carthage, Missouri, Dane Floberg (Pam) of Stanley, North Carolina and Chad Hefner of Denver, Colorado; one granddaughter, Brook Gomez of Carthage, Missouri; nine great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, Patricia O'Neill Hefner; his parents; one brother, Frank O'Neill and three sisters, Mary Evelyn Howard, Ella May Howard and Violet Haffener.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 10, 2019 at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.  The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Sunday. Burial will be in the Wamego City Cemetery.

A memorial may be made to the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter and left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.