Francis O'Neil

O'NEILL
Dr. Francis "Frank" Edward O'Neill, age 97, joined his maker and all departed peacemakers in Heaven on April 4, 2012. Frank was the first born of three sons to Fern Mary Glatz and Edward Michael O'Neill, in Kansas City, MO on November 8, 1914.


In 1991, Frank was preceded in death by his dear wife of 51 years, Estella H. Schellhase of Comfort, TX. Shortly after the passing of his father, Frank and Estella bravely faced the tragic death of their third son, Thomas Richard, in 1970. Frank was also preceded in death by his mother; his nephew, John R. in 1974 and his youngest brother, Col. John J. O'Neill in 1984. Then Frank shouldered the illness and death of his second son, Dr. Joseph Anthony in 1996.


Frank is survived by his youngest brother, Dr. James R. O'Neill and wife, Jane of San Antonio; son, Francis Edward "Ed" O'Neill, Jr.; daughter, Mary M. O'Neill Kimball and husband, John P. Kimball, Jr. of Houston, TX; granddaughters: Jennifer O'Neill Ross and husband, Dan, and Maureen O'Neill Clark and husband, Chad; great-grandchildren: Madeline, Connor and Cameron, all of Dallas, TX; grandson, John P. Kimball III and wife, Anna of Houston, TX; grandson, Christopher Francis Kimball, DDS; great-granddaughters; Taylor and Stella of Austin, TX; grandson, Thomas J. O'Neill, MD of El Paso, TX; nephew, Robert J. O'Neill; great-niece and nephew, Caitlin and Devin O'Neill and daughter-in-law, Christina R. O'Neill Chitwood and husband, Bill all of San Antonio.


An exemplary, patient, disciplined person and peacemaker, Frank lived by devout beliefs as a husband, family man and as a true and honest businessman. As a physician, scientist and educator, he was a prominent leader in his field of radiology for over fifty years, as well as a consultant, professor and writer. Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Frank had been instrumental in obtaining the rights for physicians to incorporate. In addition to the medical field, Frank had a multitude of interests and hobbies from world travel, photography and oil painting (which he took up at 80) to cooking mashed potatoes and pancakes.


Frank attended the University of Kansas Medical School where he received his Medical Degree in 1939. Soon after, he volunteered for military service receiving his commission as a First Lt. and then attended basic training at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas until time to report to Robert B. Green County Hospital in Texas for his required year of internship. It was there that he met Estella H. Schellhase, Instructor of Nurses. Frank and Estella were married at the end of his internship in 1940.



Frank was called to active duty in January of 1941, to Fort Sam Houston General Hospital in San Antonio. Frank's final duties were at William Beaumont Hospital and Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX where he was involved with radiation protection and tolerance to personnel involved in the atomic energy tests and the field unit of the atomic bomb testing site.


After the war ended and he was honorably discharged with the rank of Major, Frank wished to develop his interest in the growing field of diagnostic and therapeutic radiology. He continued with four years of specialized training at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis, MO, Washington University and Boston Hospitals. Upon completion of residency programs and licensing, Frank was granted membership in the American Board of Radiology in 1949. He, Estella and their three boys returned to San Antonio where he began his practice.


Active in the field of medicine and the growing branch of radiology, Frank was Chief of Radiology at Santa Rosa Hospital for over 25 years. He was the consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General at Lackland Air Force Base (Wilford Hall), the Texas State TB Hospital as well as other small hospitals and clinics.


Frank started and directed a school for training x-ray technologists under the auspices of Incarnate Word College. He lectured on investigative studies of blood vessel visualization before radiologists all over the world. He was speaker to the International Congress of Radiology on Special Radiographic Procedures to radiologists in Spain, Mexico, Scotland and Russia.


Frank was Clinical Professor of Radiology at the University of Texas Medical School until his retirement.


Frank held many offices in the various health organizations and societies to include: President of the Bexar County Medical Society of San Antonio, Military Radiological Society, Texas Radiological Society, American Cancer Society (local chapter) and Pan American Radiological Society.


Frank was also acknowledged as a respected leader of civic and religious activities. He was appointed a Papal Knight of St. Gregory the Great in 1973 by Pope Paul VI, later earning the honor of Knight Grand Commander. Frank was a 4th degree Knights of Columbus. He was also a founder, president and long time member of the San Antonio Serra Club and Catholic Physicians Guild of San Antonio. Frank was an honoree of the National Conference of Christians and Jews for his dedicated service to his church and community. He and Estella were the first laymen to serve on the Board of St. Mary's University. In 1987, they became members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. Frank was one of the founders of the Bexar County Retired Physicians Society (Dinosaur Club). He also served as a member of the Board of the Nations Bank and was a founding director of the Medical Center Bank. One of the last acknowledgements he received before settling down to a private life of painting and being Grandpa was that of the St. Luke's Physicians Award.


Viewing and visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at Porter Loring on McCullough Ave.


ROSARY
TUESDAY
APRIL 10, 2012
7:00 P.M.
PORTER LORING CHAPEL
MASS
WEDNESDAY
APRIL 11, 2012
10:00 A.M.
ST. PETER PRINCE OF
THE APOSTLES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
111 BARILLA PLACE
ENTOMBMENT
2:00 P.M.
HOLY CROSS CEMETERY
MAUSOLEUM CHAPEL


Msgr. Lawrence Stuebben to officiate. Pallbearers will be his grandsons, grandsons-in-law and godson, Dr. William Hinchey. Honorary pallbearers will be: Dr. Ed Mueller, Jr., Mr. Ray Neumann, all the Knights of St. Gregory the Great, Judge Richard Price, Dr. Jerome Wiesner, Dr. Marvin Belasco, Mr. John Gambuzza, Dr. Cornelius Neu, and Mr. Malcolm Beck. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in his name may be made to the organizations listed in the obituary on the Porter Loring Mortuary website.

You are invited to sign
the guestbook at
www.porterloring.com
Arrangements with