Jeanne O'Neil

O'Neil, Jeanne Athel Young

85, of Tampa, FL, passed away peacefully at home on January 19, 2025, surrounded by her loving children. Born August 21, 1939, in Flushing, NY, she was the daughter of Chic and Athel Young, and wife of the late Lawrence "Larry" O'Neil.

Jeanne Young O'Neil spent her childhood in California and Florida. She attended The Westlake School for Girls and studied abroad in Switzerland. She graduated from Clearwater High School in 1956, attended The College of William & Mary, and earned her art degree from Florida State University. She began her post-graduate studies under visionary artist and activist Sister Corita Kent at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles and earned a Master of Arts from The University of South Florida.

Jeanne was raised in a family full of creativity. Her mother was an accomplished concert harpist, and her father, Chic Young, was a cartoonist and the creator of the comic strip "Blondie." Jeanne herself appeared as Cookie, the daughter of Blondie and Dagwood, in the strip. In 2000, she donated 150 original "Blondie" comic strips to the Library of Congress.

Jeanne met the love of her life Larry in Los Angeles, and the two married in 1960 at The Beverly Hills Hotel. In 1971, they settled in Temple Terrace, Florida, where they raised their four children, Kevin, Clark, Kitty, and Jennifer. Jeanne and Larry loved playing golf at the Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club, Palma Ceia, and Innisbrook. The two shared a passion for travel, taking over 50 cruises together, often with their children.

A talented artist and educator, Jeanne taught at The University of South Florida, led Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain workshops, and was a docent at the Tampa Museum of Art. Jeanne had a terrific eye for color and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, leading her to establish a thriving color consulting business.

Jeanne formed deep friendships wherever she went. She remained involved with her college sorority sisters from Delta Gamma. And one of her greatest joys was her investment club, CHIC-a close-knit group of friends who turned their earnings into unforgettable adventures. Together they cruised the Rhine, photographed tulip fields in the Netherlands, and explored the markets in Provence.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her son, Clark Dean O'Neil and by her husband of 53 years, Lawrence "Larry" James O'Neil. She is survived by her son, Kevin Bernard O'Neil; daughters, Kathleen "Kitty" Susanne O'Neil and Jennifer Athel O'Neil; daughter-in-law, Renée Marie O'Neil (Lukasik); sons-in-law, William Robert Pelletier and John Randolph "Rand" Clay Hill, Jr.; grandchildren, Jeanne Marie Grier (née O'Neil) and Luke James O'Neil; grandson-in-law, William Chadwick Grier; and great-grandchildren, Eloise Marie Grier and Adeline James Grier. She is also survived by her brother, Dean Wayne Young and sister-in-law, Charlotte Lee Young (née Hundley), along with dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews, and numerous lifelong friends.

A gathering in her honor will be held this spring. She will be laid to rest with her parents, husband, Larry, and son, Clark at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park in Clearwater, Florida. In lieu of flowers, it would honor Jeanne's love of animals for donations to be made to SPCA Tampa Bay at spcatampabay.org/donate/.

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