Dimity Laybourn O'Neil

1948 - 2022

Oak Harbor - Dimity O'Neil passed suddenly on Saturday October 22nd. Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Robert and Margaret Laybourn, she attended schools through high school in Cheyenne.

At age 18 she went to Los Angeles to go to college. She worked there until in 1970 she visited Seattle where she met her lifetime partner, Dennis O'Neil. The new couple began by living with her parents. Next they moved to Casper, Wyoming. Dimity worked in a flower shop there. She also worked in the floral trade in Cheyenne and in Bellingham, WA. When they moved to Bellingham in 1971 they lived at Cain Lake. On October 15, 1972, she gave birth to Nate O'Neil. In the 70's Dimity started and ran a plant store on Pine Street in Mount Vernon. She got to know lots of folks quickly and enjoyed many friendships. Nate spent lots of time with his mom at the shop. Dimity, Nate and Dennis spent summer months for many years at Cain Lake where there were good friends and many happy memories. Dimity was a lover of nature and enjoyed working outdoors. She loved both the flora and fauna, and after the plant store closed she became an inside/outside plant installer/maintainer/designer/gardener. She also helped guide those closest to her by helping her son and her husband. She was proud when Nate became a farmer and she and Dennis had an Asian pear orchard. She enjoyed the work of gardening and was still working at the age of 74. Always ready for an adventure, she made bicycle trips from Mount Vernon to Montana and California. She also had a month long journey on bikes with a 12 year old Nate and her husband. There were many overnights and day rides with friends and family.

In 1999 Dimity's only grandchild was born and Dimity truly thought she was grand. Oliva O'Neil became an extremely important person in Dimity's life. Dimity felt blessed to be able to spend countless hours with Oliva. They spent so much time together; playing, reading, cooking, pretending. (Long live the skunks!) In 2013 Dimity and Dennis moved to Oak Harbor where Dimity went to work making new flower beds and decorating their new place. She was an amazing person who had a true flair for design and decoration. She was a tremendous cat and baby lover. Some might remember her role in the fight to keep nuclear power out of Skagit County. NO on 4!

Dimity was preceded in death by her father, Bob and her brother, Bob. She is survived by her husband, Dennis, son, Nate (Shannon), granddaughter Oliva, mother Margaret, brothers Peter (Babs), Royal (Lezlie), John (Madelein), Dan, Jim (Julie), and by sisters, Felicity, Melissa (Caroll), and Tatiana (Ted). All of us feel a tremendous loss with the passing of this truly one-of -a-kind exceptional person.

A celebration of her life will happen on Sunday, November 6th, at the Vinery next to Christianson's Nursery. Her ashes will be spread as to her wishes.