Brenton Elliot O'neill

1968 - 2021

O'NEILL

BRENTON ELLIOT O'NEILL

September 29, 1968 – November 27, 2021



Brent O'Neill—loving husband, playful father, dedicated public servant, beloved family member, friend, colleague, and big goofball—died on November 27, 2021, at home in Alexandria, Virginia surrounded by family. Nine weeks prior, he was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.



Born on September 29, 1968 to Brian and Marti O'Neill, Brent spent his early years in Maryland near his grandparents before moving with his parents and sister, Kim, to New Mexico and then California. Brent's early years were full of family camping trips, Hawaiian adventures, skiing excursions, special celebrations, and a bit of mischief.



Brent earned a bachelor's degree in natural resource planning from Humboldt State University. Throughout college, he worked summers in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the Marin Headlands and on Alcatraz Island and developed a knack for carpentry while rehabilitating houses.



In 1994, Brent became a Peace Corps volunteer and served in Paraguay for nearly two-and-a-half years—one of his greatest life adventures. He loved the Paraguayan families he worked with; they adopted him as one of their own. Brent was a beacon of light and love—educating his "campo" farmers about agroforestry and soil conservation, leading environmental summer camps for youth, and participating in a traveling environmental puppet show.



In Paraguay, Brent made life-long friends and met his soulmate and life partner, Anne Ferrand, a fellow Peace Corps volunteer and kindred spirit. After completing their service, Brent and Anne traveled throughout South and Central America, visiting 13 countries and many national parks and natural wonders. Upon returning, they settled in Northern Virginia, near Anne's family, and married in 1998.



Brent joined the National Park Service in 1997 and was initially stationed at Great Falls Park, Virginia in the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Over the next 24 years, he served as a Park Ranger, Environmental Protection Specialist, Site Manager, and most recently, Supervisory Ranger. He supported Theodore Roosevelt Island, Glen Echo Park, Clara Barton House, Arlington House, the Mount Vernon Trail, Fort Hunt Park, and others. Brent's heart was forever in Great Falls Park. During his career, Brent and a colleague saved two lives on the Potomac River at Great Falls Park, for which he was awarded the prestigious Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award.



Brent loved his family and was an attentive, playful father and an amazing chef. He was passionate about living a life full of adventure, travel, fun, laughter, and learning with Anne and their two sons, Kieran and Sean.



Brent delighted in the Scientists Cliffs community on the Chesapeake Bay, where his paternal grandparents and great grandparents built a log cabin before World War II. Brent walked the beach for hours, searching for fossilized shark teeth, beach glass, and other treasures. He swam and built beach sculptures and forts with his sons and nephews. Brent found great solace and peace in this special family gathering place and intended to retire there.



Brent was a charming, smart, caring, adventurous, silly and engaging man of tremendous integrity who was loved deeply by many. He was a source of love and humor whose life, though well-lived, was cut too short. We will miss your beautiful blue eyes and bright light.



Brent is survived by his wife, Anne Ferrand O'Neill, sons, Kieran Daniel and Sean Patrick O'Neill, mother, Martha Hendricks O'Neill, sister, Kimberly O'Neill Lear, his mother-in-law, Mary Braseth Ferrand, brother-in-law, Gregory Louis Ferrand, sisters-in-law, Jacqueline Louise Ferrand and Maria Eva Salvetti, and nephews, Justin Lear and Luca and Noel Ferrand.



A Celebration of Life was held on June 11 at the Scientist's Cliffs in Port Republic, MD.