Ruth Anastacia (Coles) O'Neil |
| Posted 2019-09-16 by Pat R |
| Arizona Republican (Phoenix, Arizona) Tuesday, September 30, 1975, p. B-13 Ruth O'Neil, 65, dies; county ex-supervisor Mrs. Ruth O'Neil, the first woman supervisor in Arizona, died Sunday in La Jolla, Calif., after suffering a stroke. Mrs. O'Neil, 65, of 7009 N. Third Ave., was packing to return to Phoenix from a visit with relatives when she was stricken. She was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where she died. The daughter of a pioneer Arizona family, Mrs. O'Neil was appointed to succeed her late husband, James K., on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in June 1959. She won election to the board in 1960, 1962, and 1964 and served three terms as chairman of the board. Mrs. O'Neil resigned on Oct. 8, 1965, to accept a position with the Department of the Interior in Washington, in the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. She moved back to Phoenix in 1965 to work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs area office. She was higher education officer with the BIA's education division at the time of her death. Rosary will be at 7:30 p.m. today in Brophy Chapel, 470 N. Central. Funeral Mass will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in St. Francis Xavier Church, 4715 N. Central. Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Arcadia Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School. The family requested memorials to Brophy College Preparatory. Born in Bisbee, Mrs. O'Neil attended Phoenix College, where she was student body vice president when Jack Williams, who later became governor, was class president. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 1931 with an education degree and received a secondary education certificate from the University of California at Berkeley. Before becoming a member of the board of supervisors, she taught in the Alhambra district and worked with the Maricopa County office of the state welfare department. She was past president of the National Association of Parks and Recreation and the Arizona State Supervisors and Clerks Association. Survivors include Children, David, James, Mrs. James Corbet, Mrs. Burton Brownell, Jane and Mary; two brothers out of state; sisters, Loretto of Phoenix and one sister out of state and eight grandchildren. |
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