Janice Yandle O'Neill

1937 - 2024

Janice Yandle O'Neill

October 3, 1937 - July 11, 2024

Charlotte, North Carolina - Janice Yandle O'Neill (86) passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by members of her loving family on the morning of Thursday, July 11, 2024. She was born in Union County, the oldest daughter of the late Dewey Yandle and Margie Helms Yandle. She was preceded in death by her sisters Yvonne Adams and Barbara Sue Yandle.

Jan, also known as JanO by her colleagues, leaves us with many happy memories. She was a cherished, caring and strong-willed woman. She had beautiful eyes, her smile was infectious and above all, she had grit. She spent her early years living on a farm; but she was a city girl at heart. She married young and quickly moved to the city of Raleigh where her first child Robert was born a few years later at the age of 20. After her divorce, she moved to Charlotte and worked in the accounting department at Sears Roebuck while raising her son as a single mom.

In 1965 she met her lifetime partner, Joseph O'Neill. It was an instant love and they were married nine weeks later in Myers Park at The Little Church on the Lane. His employment moved them to Denver, Colorado where their daughter Kecia was born, and then later to a suburb outside of Chicago, Illinois where Tara was born.

By the spring of 1972, the cold winters of Chicago had her dreaming of coming back to the south. They moved to Charlotte where she continued to be a caring mother and wife, and raised her family in the home where she took her last breath. She loved sewing, crafting and painting and created amazing Halloween costumes. She was DIY before it became a popular term. She enjoyed spending time with her numerous friends, neighbors and extended family.

Jan was given the opportunity to go back to work when the late Jan Thompson of The Jan Thompson Agency called to book her husband Joe (part time actor and model) in a print job. She asked, "If you have a job for my husband, do you also have a job for me?" Jan O'Neill went back to work using her accounting background and became JanO at the agency. She loved the business, the family of actors, the casting directors, photographers and producers. She shared a special bond with many. By 1984, JanO bought the business from JanT and condensed the name to JTA. JTA was her home away from home. She retired in 2018 and her daughters took over the business.

Jan was an amazing role model, teacher and seeker of higher knowledge. She was an avid reader and studied many philosophies and spiritual teachings like Native American Studies, the Kabbalah, alternative healing and meditation practices, to name a few. She was an ordained minister with The Brigade of Light. She collected rocks, crystals, feathers and Native American Art. She loved birds, plants, flowers, her numerous pets over the years and wolves.

But her greatest love is her family. She is survived by her husband Joseph Gerard O'Neill, Jr; her children: Robert Soots O'Neill (Debbie) of Littleton, NC, Kecia O'Neill Treveiler (Rob) of Sugar Grove, VA, and Tara Dominique O'Neill (Brian Federal) of Charlotte, NC; her grandchildren: Joshua O'Neill, Jennifer O'Neill Mestril (Sebastian), Meghan O'Neill and Carey Greyson Treveiler; and her great grandchildren: Tilly and Felix Mestril.

Although she loved flowers, she was generous with charity, especially for animals and nature conservancy groups. At the end of her life, Hospice was a beautiful gift for the family.

A Celebration of Life for JanO will be held Saturday August 10, 2024 at Whitehead Manor, 5901 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC 28270 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Family, friends and colleagues are welcome.

Please consider donating to humanesocietyofcharlotte.org and/or donatehospice.org.