Dorothea Eva O'Neil (Cox)

Calais – Dorothea Eva O’Neil, 91, passed away peacefully Saturday, May 16, 2015 at Marshall’s Health Care in Machias. Dorothea was born in Perry on March 7, 1924, daughter of the late Edward Colby and Susannah Jean (Smith) Cox. She spent her early years in Perry until the family moved to Calais where she graduated from Calais High School. She married John M. O’Neil and after WWII they moved to Massachusetts. Dorothea and John had a camp on Pleasant Lake for over 50 years where their family enjoyed spending their summers. In the 1980’s Dorothea and John moved back to Calais where John received long term care at Barnard’s Nursing Home due to his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s. Her dedication to John was as strong as ever during the ten years he spent at the nursing home, she continued to see him twice a day for the entire time he resided there. Dorothea was extremely proud of her family, in her later years she was known for sharing stories and showing pictures of her grandchildren and great grandchildren to anyone who visited with her. She was a Communicant of Immaculate Conception R. C. Church in Calais.

In addition to her parents, Dorothea was predeceased by her husband John; and a son Gerald. Surviving are two children, John O’Neil and wife Carolyn of Ft. McCoy, FL, and Maureen Fry and husband Ronald of Cleveland, OH; a sister Edwina DiCenzo of Calais; eight grandchildren, Jill, Melissa, Jennifer, Andrew, Jamieson, Justin, Julie and Robert; 17 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, May 22, 2015 at Mays Funeral Home, 26 Church St., Calais with Celebrant Anthony Giard. Committal will follow with Father Rob Lupo at Calais Cemetery.