Juanita J. ONeill

Juanita Juan ONeill, 89, passed away March 23, 2017, in Grayville, Illinois, with her family by her side. She was born December 8, 1927, in Lucedale, Mississippi, the daughter of Alphonso and Adeline (Davis) Juan, who preceded her in death.

Juanita grew up in the South and moved to Olney, Illinois, at the age of 14 years during the Illinois Oil Basin oil boom. Not long after that, her family moved to Grayville. She graduated from Grayville High School in 1945, and Lockyear College of Business in 1946. She married Jack ONeill in June of 1946, who survives.

In addition to working as the CFO for the family oil business, Juanita was an excellent seamstress. She took pride in making her young daughters matching St. Patricks Day dresses each year. Juanita was a Brownie leader, she helped at the first Baptist Church with offering and tithing reports, spearheaded the remodel of the sanctuary at church, volunteered at Grayville Schools on immunization days and was an avid bowler. She was also the best Gran ever.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Alphonso and Adeline (Davis) Juan; daughter Nora Lynn ONeill; sister Faye Juan Rickman; and niece Krista Rickman Traylor.

Survivors include her husband of 70 years, Jack ONeill of Grayville; daughter Shauna (Stephen) Link of Evansville, Indiana; granddaughters Kayci Link (Ryan) Merriwether, Jacqueline Link (Nate) Pullom, and Haley (Evan Brinkmeyer) Link; great grandchildren Nevaeh Norman, SaNai Pullom, Donovan Merriwether, Dylan Merriwether all of Evansville; nephews Eric (Kathy) Rickman of Carmel, Indiana, Barry Rickman of Baltimore Maryland; niece Terri Rickman of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Memorials may be made online to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org), or they will be accepted at Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville.

Visitation and funeral are Sunday, March 26, 2017, at Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville. Visitation is at 1 pm and funeral is at 2 pm with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery in Grayville.

Visitation: Cook Funeral Chapel Grayville, March 26, 2017 - 1pm

Service: Cook Funeral Chapel Grayville, March 26, 2017 - 2pm

Memorials: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org)