Earl Oneil

Earl William O'Neil, Jr., 87, of Great Falls, a retired Captain in the United States Air Force, passed away on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 of natural causes at Peace Hospice.Viewing will take place at Schnider Funeral Home on Sunday, June 10, 2012, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and one hour prior to the vigil service which will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Liturgy will be at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Monday, June 11, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Earl was born in Marshall, TX on May 14, 1925 to Earl and Mabel (Murphey) O'Neil. He attended high school at Seagraves High in Seagraves, TX. He attended college at Texas A & M, College Station, TX as well as Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX.In 1944, he was one of five, out of 254 students selected to attend USAF Flight Instructor School at Randolph AFB, TX, Assignments included: Combat Crew Center for B-17 Flight Training School, Military Air Transport Command. Flight Operations Officer; Malmstrom AFB. Flight & Instrument Instructor, and Aircraft Commander for the DC-4. He was medically retired from the USAF at the rank of Captain in 1954.He first married Mildred Brown. They later divorced. In 1952, he married Lillian Skites of Raynesford, MT who passed away in 2008. Three years later he then married Maxine Herron in Great Falls, MT.After his military service, he and his wife Lillian worked for and later purchased Crown Jewelry until they closed the store in 1990 so they could enjoy retirement. He held a Registered Jeweler Certificate from the American Gem Society and was the only Certified Gemologist in MT for many years.He was an active member of the Optimist Club, DeMolay, American Legion, Daedalians, Scottish Rite Language Center founder, a 33rd Degree Mason, and was Venerable Master in 1989.He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and carpentry in his free time.Earl is survived by his wife, Maxine O'Neil of Great aFalls; and sons Thomas Edwin O'Neil of Raynesford and Earl W. O'Neil, III of Abilene, TX; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.He is preceded in death by wife Lillian M. (Skites) O'Neil; and daughter Denese M. (O'Neil) Kunz.Suggested memorials are to the Scottish Rite Language Center, 1304 13th St S, Great Falls, MT 59405.