Ethel Ruth O'Neal

Ruth O'Neal, age 93, died in her home in Fayetteville Ark., Sunday, May 22, 2016. Born Ethel Ruth Weinmann, in Dallas, Texas, Feb. 27, 1923 to her parents Charles & Anna Scheller Weinmann, Ruth was the youngest of her six siblings, Annie Wickham, Virginia Weinmann, Mildred Powell, Marguerite Currie, Elizabeth Stone & Fred Weinmann who have all preceded her in death. Ruth was raised in Dallas and was a 1940 graduate of Woodrow Wilson HS. In July 1942 Ruth married Francis M. O'Neal Jr. and further increased her large family with Jr. and the addition of his many siblings. They continued to make their home in Dallas along with brief stays in other places while Francis finished his military duty serving in the Army Air Force. Ruth & Francis had two children, Patricia Lynn (Patty) in 1946 and James Michael (Mike) in 1948. The O'Neals then moved their family to Jr.'s hometown of Waco, Texas. Their large and welcoming home on South Third St. became the chosen gathering place for both sides of the family and seldom did a weekend pass without relatives or friends coming to call on Ruth & Jr. Ruth took an active role in her children's school activities, attending innumerable dance recitals, sporting events, club meetings and even serving as the president of the Waco PTA. Briefly operating the café adjacent to O'Neal's Grocery where she baked homemade pies, as well as gathering and canning fresh vegetables at home from their own large garden. For several years Ruth worked in the credit dept. with Sears. After her children were grown, she accompanied her husband on small / solo / two-seater aircraft flights across the country and up and down the West Coast while he was a sales representative for Mooney Aircraft. Ruth had even completed all the coursework and instruction to get her own pilots license but never did. Ruth loved puzzle books of all kinds and was avid and talented worker of the daily crossword puzzles. Ruth ended her working career when she retired from the City of Dallas. After the death of her husband and in her later years, Ruth, along with her older sister Marguerite, moved from Dallas to Fayetteville to be closer to her daughter Patricia. The interaction with, nurturing and love of family was the primary focus of Ruth's life and that continued and spanned generations throughout her lifetime. Patty & Mike want the world to know how very blessed they have been to have had the most wonderful and loving mother in the world. Ruth is survived by two children, her daughter Patricia Pearce and her husband David of Fayetteville, Ark., and her son Michael O'Neal and his wife Roxanne of Buda, Texas; four grandchildren, Sterling Smith, Casey O'Neal, Colin O'Neal, and Cynthia Cordial; and four great-grandchildren, Bishop & Draven Killian, Finn O'Neal and Tabitha Honeycutt; and two great-great-grandchildren Christen & Jordan Honeycutt. Arrangements were made by Nelson-Berna Funeral Home. To sign the online guestbook visit www.nelsonberna.com.