Robert Francis O'Neil

1924 - 2016

Robert Francis O'Neil
February 23, 1924 - March 5, 2016
Woodside, CA
ROBERT FRANCIS O'NEIL ("Boots") February 23, 1924 – March 5, 2016. Bob passed away quietly in his home in Woodside. He is now reunited with his beloved parents Fred and Alice, his adoring sister Pat Yates and his namesake nephew Bob Yates. A native of San Mateo, he attended St. Matthew Catholic School and San Mateo High School. He began his college years at San Mateo Junior College, but soon enlisted in the US Navy. He was proud to have served during WWII as an Aerographer's mate. After returning to the states he attended college at San Jose State and UC Santa Barbara.

Upon his graduation he was able to combine his lifelong passion for horses with a career that spanned over 50 years with the California Racing Association, mainly at Bay Meadows. Boots was a great favorite with track fans and coworkers alike, as he happily filled various racetrack jobs starting as a runner and working his way up to several management positions. Boots also trained and co-owned many race horses over 6 decades.

He moved to Woodside in 1967, where he would breed the occasional thoroughbred for the races. He was involved in many of the activities that center in Woodside; he served for many years as a board member of the Woodside Trail Club, was an active trail rider, hunted with the Los Altos Hunt, served as announcer at various horse shows, helped with the Los Altos Pony Club, and assisted annually at Woodside's Day of the Horse. He has been honored by the Town of Woodside as 2006 Horseman of the Year, in 2009 by the Day of the Horse, by the San Mateo County Mounted Patrol, and most recently as a legacy recipient of the Town of Woodside as outstanding contributor to the horse world in Woodside.

Bob's horse and professional connections with show business included being interviewed in 2003 for the documentary "Seabiscuit: The Story Begins in San Francisco." Bob appeared in "Bay Area Backroads" featuring the trails in Woodside and in the 2011 film "The Last Days at Bay Meadows" as a commentator.

He is survived by nieces Jean Yates, Joan Yates, Judy Kawamoto (Lester), and Kathy Ramsey (Dave) along with great-nieces and nephews and many cousins. He will be missed by his longtime friend and companion Katy Farquharson and the multitude of friends who will fondly remember sharing stories and laughs with Boots.

The family would like to thank Bob's caregivers Petrut, Jeff and most deeply, Kirk Caverly, for their care and companionship.

There will be a Visitation on Sunday, March 13 at 4:30 pm with a Vigil beginning at 6:00 pm at Sneider & Sullivan & O'Connell's Funeral Home in San Mateo. Funeral Mass on Monday, March 14 at 10:00 am at St. Matthew Catholic Church, 1 Notre Dame Avenue, San Mateo.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bob's name would be welcome at the UC Davis Center for Equine Health, tel (530) 752-6433 e-mail: cehadmin@ucdavis.edu


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