John W. O'Neill, 93, born December 22, 1928, in Red Lake, MN, the oldest of ten children, passed away on April 9, 2022, at Essentia Health Saint Mary's Hospital in Duluth, surrounded by his family.

John's family moved to Superior in 1942, he attended Superior Cathedral High School where he played football and was on the boxing team. In December of his junior year, just days after his birthday, he enlisted in the US Navy, where he trained at Great Lakes, deployed to San Diego, CA sailed aboard the USS Sierra and was stationed for several months at the port of Tsingtao, China. After two years, he returned to Superior and married Donna Fae Crist on September 15, 1951, and they were married for 68 years until her passing in February 2020.

John worked on the railroad before becoming a fireman for the City of Superior, where he served 16 years and drove the main fire truck at Sixth street station. In the early 1970's he entered the insurance business with Travelers and John subsequently purchased and operated the Howe McCabe independent insurance agency for many decades, until he retired in 2010.

He deeply loved his wife Donna Fae, and they went on many vacations through the years to places like Hawaii, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, and the Grand Cayman Island.

He loved his family more than anything and enjoyed attending his grandchildren's activities, including John and Taylor's hockey games, traveling to the Twin Cities, Canada, and New York to watch them play. John and Donna Fae loved Katie's dance recitals and were especially proud when her dance team performed at the Macys Thanksgiving Parade in New York City.

He was the kind of guy who could do anything around the house with a hammer, wrench, screwdriver, or paint brush. He enjoyed deer hunting and took his son Brett bow hunting when he was just five years old; John also slayed his share of deer when rifle hunting with the fire department and other friends through the years.

Those who knew John realized he loved being among people in a public setting, be it at the golf course, a restaurant or a drinking establishment and was adept at telling a story that fit any and all occasions.

John will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Preceded in death by his loving wife, Donna Fae, by his parents, George, and Alice and by seven of his siblings, brothers George, Raymond, Thomas, James, Jerome, sisters Patricia and Kathleen.

Survived by his son Brett and wife Patti, of Ramsey, MN, by his grandchildren, John and Katie of Ramsey, MN and Taylor of Seattle, WA and by his brother Michael of Bemidji, MN, and sister Dorothy of Cincinnati, OH.

His life will be celebrated at a private family memorial service to be held May 7, 2022, in Ramsey, MN.