Mary O'Neill
Mary Catherine O’Neill, 74, of rural Lansing died Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. Funeral services were held Monday, July 25 at Immaculate Conception Wexford Church in rural Lansing with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial was at the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Wexford Foundation.
Mary Catherine O’Neill was born July 23, 1947 in Waukon, the daughter of Hugh and Alice (Kernan) Conway. She attended Lafayette #7 school and graduated from St. George High School in Lansing. Mary dated John O’Neill during high school, but religion was very important to her so after high school she considered becoming a nun and entered the Sisters of the Presentation Convent in Dubuque. Even though religion was still a big part of her life, she changed her mind and sent a letter to John, who was serving in Vietnam, hoping to rekindle their high school romance.
June 21, 1969, they were married and were blessed with three sons: Johnny, Joey and Tommy. After they were married, John and Mary lived in Texas and Waterloo for a few years before returning home to the Lansing and Harpers Ferry area. Mary worked at Kerndt Brothers Bank in Lansing, was the secretary at Waterville Elementary School for many years, and was the Allamakee County Auditor for two terms. She loved her work and treasured all the relationships she developed during those years.
Mary was a lifelong member of the Immaculate Conception Wexford Church in rural Lansing, where she was baptized, confirmed and married. Mary was very active in her parish as a member of the rosary society, the Wexford Foundation, and served as bookkeeper. She was also a proud member of the Harpers Ferry American Legion Ladies Auxiliary.
Mary loved her family above all. Family get-togethers were very important to her. She treated everyone to the smell of fresh pancakes for breakfast and a chocolate cake for snack time. Mary enjoyed watching John, her children, and her grandchildren play ball over the decades. John and Mary took the family on a vacation every summer. One of these was a special “bucket list” trip where they took the whole family to Florida in 2015. She and John took many bus trips around the U.S. and also traveled to Hawaii, Alaska, Ireland, Jamaica and Mexico.
One of Mary’s favorite hobbies was playing cards. When the grandchildren were young it was Go Fish, Memory or Old Maid. Believe it or not, very seldom did she win. As they got older, it was Euchre and 500. Eventually it developed into other card games, most of which were made up on the spot. She also enjoyed reading, doing crossword puzzles, and solving the Wordle.
Mary is survived by her husband, John, of rural Lansing; her children: John (Becky) and Tom (Christy) O’Neill, all of Waukon; her daughter-in-law, Michelle O’Neill of Waukon; 10 grandchildren: Tyler, Megan, John, Hunter, Nathan, Jack, Colton, Emma, Dylan and Oliver; her siblings: Dan Conway of Lansing, Ellen (Bob) Zwirlein of Monona, Hugh (Lana) Conway of McAllen, TX, Mike (Jeanne) Conway of North Carolina, Rose (Don) Ripperger of Lacona and Ray (Diane) Conway of Polk City; her in-laws: Sally Conway of Cedar Falls, Jim and Sue O’Neill and Mary and Jim Winters of Waukon, and Pat and Sally O’Neill of Harpers Ferry; along with many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Hugh and Alice Conway; her parents-in-law, Steve and Eleanor O’Neill; her son, Joe O’Neill; an infant grandson, Christian O’Neill; and five brothers and three sisters-in-law: James (Sonja) Conway, Joseph (Josie) Conway, Leo (Penny) Conway, Patrick Conway and John Conway.
Mary’s grandchildren will serve as casketbearers. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
