MARY LEA O’NEIL
Mary Lea O’Neil, a long-time resident of Bullhead City, Ariz., passed away on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at her home in Fort Mohave. She was 73 years old.
Lea began her nursing career, which spanned nearly 50 years, in Mason City, IA. She fell in love with the desert and moved with her family to Bullhead City in 1986. She worked at Bullhead Community Hospital, which later became WARMC, starting in the ICU department and eventually becoming Head Nurse of the Recovery Room and Step-Down Unit. She went on to hold Director of Surgical Services positions in Eureka, CA; Las Vegas, NV; and Kingman, AZ, before finally making her way back to the town she loved most. She worked as Director of Surgical Services at Valley View Hospital in Fort Mohave before retiring.
Lea loved to dance and spend time with her family. She never knew how to cook just a little, she always had room for one more at the table and enough food to feed an army. She was “Mom” to every friend her girls had and her home was always open. Her laughter and smile will be remembered by many and her ability to nurture and teach will be remembered by even more. She was a shining example of loyalty to her faith, to her friends, and most especially to her family.
Lea left behind her loving husband, Timothy O’Neil; her daughters, Heather Kunz (Casey), Jennifer Van Rooy (Pete), and Melissa Boyd (Michael); and her grandchildren, Matthew, Alison, Kira and Jillian.
Her children and grandchildren were her pride and joy and she made sure everyone knew it, often to their embarrassment, but always to their delight.
Services will be announced once the church is reopened and a date is able to be set.