Cierra D. O'Neal

Cierra Dawn O'Neal (Cici), 32, of Oakland, Michigan passed away of a rare form of a hemispheric glioma at Corewell Health (Troy Beaumont) Hospital on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Cierra was born on July 29, 1993, in Brandon, Florida and moved to Michigan when she was two years old to spend the rest of her adolescence in the mitten state.

She was an easy-going child with a touch of sass (and a lot of Mom's attitude) that enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, watching football and cheerleading. After high school she moved to West Palm Beach, Florida to attend Northwood University, but after two years decided it was time to head back to the mitten to complete her studies at Wayne State University. She graduated in May of 2017 with her bachelor's degree in business administration then completed her MBA Management in 2023 also from Wayne State. She worked as a Business Analyst for Ford and her colleagues remember her fondly and even implemented a "Do It like Cierra" challenge.

In her adult life, she spent a little more time in Florida- she loved those beaches- and a little over a year in North Carolina enjoying the Blue Ridge Mountains. She enjoyed road trips to Harbor Beach and popsicle date nights, loved to cook, loved all things "spooky season" and "creepy crap," never lost her love of football (Go Lions), and dedicated her life to her "children", Dogs: Oscar, Mazey and Cat: Stormi.

She is survived by her mother, Angela, her father, Donald, brother and soon-to-be-sister-in-law, Brandon and Alyssa, and recently reconnected with her biological father and his wife, Jim and Kathy. She is also survived by many others including aunts, uncles, and many cousins including her sister-cousin's, Tripsies: Melinda, Dana.

She is remembered by those that loved her as a brilliant, strong, selfless, resilient person with a can-do attitude, and a "force embodying bravery, perseverance, grit and grace" that always went out of her way to help others before helping herself.

As her final act of heroism, she has donated her brain to science research through the University of Michigan in hopes of helping other families avoid the same hurt of losing their loved ones to cancer.

A Celebration of Life will take place at Lynch and Sons Funeral Directors, 1368 N. Crooks Road, (between 14 and 15 Mile Road), Clawson, Michigan, on August 23, 2025, 12:00pm. Prior to services, friends may visit from 10am-12pm at the funeral home.