William E. "Bill" O'Neal

William E. "Bill" O'Neal, 85, passed away Nov. 16, 2017, at Deer Trail Assisted Living in Rock Springs. 

He was born on April 3, 1932, in Rosiclare, Ill., the son of William Howard "Peg"  O'Neal and Agnes Catherine  Zimmers. 

O'Neal moved to Rock Springs during his freshman year of high school and spent his summers working at FMC.  

He graduated from Rock Springs High School with the class of 1951.

He married his high school sweetheart, Lois Josette DeCora during Senior Week, May 19, 1951. She preceded him in death on Feb. 4, 2012, in Rock Springs.

O'Neal enlisted with the United States Air Force during the Korean War in 1953. He went to technical school at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, where he trained to become a teletype operator. He was stationed at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Wash .; Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska; and McClelland Air Force Base in Sacramento, Calif.

Following his discharge in 1957, he worked for FMC for several years and then worked for Wonder Bread as a deliveryman for six years. He then returned to FMC and retired 37 years later in 1994.  

O'Neal and his wife then spent the next 13 years as snow birds, spending the winters in Mesa, Ariz., and much of their summer at their family cabin on Commissary Ridge near Kemmerer.  In his earlier years, O'Neal enjoyed traveling, camping and fishing at Louis Lake, Fremont Lake, and Granite Hot Springs. 

Survivors include one son, Danny O'Neal; three daughters, Peggy Johnson and husband Brent, Erin Ranger, and Kathy Staley and husband Richard, one brother-in- law, John Timlin, all of Rock Springs; four grandchildren, Katie Wade and husband Scott, Adam Ranger, Jessica O'Neal and boyfriend Alex Arambel and Connor O'Neal; three great-grandchildren, Larissa Hanley, Alayah Hanley and Addison Jewel Wade; several nieces and nephews

He was preceded in death by his parents, William H. O'Neal and Agnes Zimmers O'Neal; one sister, Velois Pat Timlin; one brother, Robert O'Neal; and one nephew Steven Timlin.

Following cremation military honors and graveside services with inurnment will be announced at a later date.

Condolences may be left at http://www.vasefuneralhomes.com.