ROBERT O'NEIL

1935 - 2021

O'NEIL Robert S. O'Neil "Bob" Robert S. O'Neil "Bob", 85, passed away on February 3, 2021 at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland after a brief illness. Bob was born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to the Washington area with his family in 1966. He was a longtime resident of Potomac, Maryland. Bob graduated from Saint Ignatius High School in Chicago and from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Civil Engineering. He earned a Master's degree in Engineering from Catholic University in Washington, DC. Bob was an officer in the U.S. Air Force and spent his entire career after the military working at consulting engineering firm De Leuw, Cather & Company, later part of The Parsons Corporation. Bob was President of the Parsons Transportation Group and Division President for ten years prior to retiring. He traveled the world working on the design and construction of mass transportation projects, tunnels, and highways over the course of his career, including the Washington, DC. Metrorail System (where he for many years served as Chief Engineer during the construction of the system), the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project in the Washington, DC. area, the Los Angeles rapid transit system, commuter rail systems in Taiwan, highway systems in Dubai, the Franconia Notch Highway, the Shanghai Metro Rail System and the Northeast Corridor railway network. Bob worked on many other notable projects here and abroad. Bob received many engineering awards during his 40-year career and served as director of both the American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the International Road Federation. He was also officer-in-charge of the historic $16 billion English Channel Tunnel on which Parsons served as engineering advisor. In Bob's honor, Parsons endowed a scholarship at the University of Notre Dame, his alma mater. Other awards include his induction into the National Academy of Construction (NAC), the College Honor Award from the College of Engineering at Notre Dame, the James Laurie prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers, and Leif Svedrup Civil Engineering Management Award in 2002. Professional association memberships included The Moles (heavy construction fraternity) and The Beavers (association of heavy engineering construction). Bob participated in a number of US trade missions abroad to promote American know-how and capabilities in the transportation sector. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for leadership in the establishment and growth of environmentally responsible transportation throughout the world. Bob loved sports and was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing at Congressional Country Club. He passed on his enthusiasm for travel and sports, especially Notre Dame football, to his children. Bob coached baseball, designed and contributed to the building of the Tally-Ho swim club, and taught CCD at St. Raphael's Parish. Bob reveled in a corny dad joke and was known for his sense of humor. Mostly he loved to dote on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He encouraged his children and grandchildren to embrace life fully and appreciate other cultures and peoples. He always had a kind word for family and friends and his friends were many. He sponsored many seeking to improve their lives. He is survived by his devoted wife of 62 years, Barbara (Gorham), who Bob met in first grade and who lived only a few blocks away from his family home in Chicago. "Barb" and Bob became pen pals when Bob was studying in college, and they were married shortly after his graduation. They have four children; Michael (Nidia), Stephen (Brenda), William (Danielle), and Terese (James Noenickx), eleven loving grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his beloved sister Patricia Quinlan of Illinois and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert D. and Veronica O'Neil. Bob was a loving father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend to all. Bob's family is deeply saddened to have lost him, but also feels lucky to have had so many great years with him. A celebration of Bob's life will be held at a future date, when it is safe to do so. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Johns Hopkins Medicine online at https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/support or by check to Johns Hopkins Medicine mailed to: Johns Hopkins Office of Medical Annual Giving, PO Box 17045, Baltimore, MD 21297-0307. Please include a note noting Bob's name.Johns Hopkins Office of Medical Annual Giving, PO Box 17045, Baltimore, MD 21297-0307. Please include a note noting Bob's name.