Alma M. O'Neill

Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on July 4, 1912
Departed on April 8, 2006. Resided in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Memorial

Alma M. O'Neill, 93, died peacefully in her home at Higley Mansion Care Center on Saturday April 8, 2006 after and extended illness from complications of aging. A Higley resident for the past 24 months, she had previously enjoyed her retirement and friends at Village Place in Marion for 4 and half years.

Visitation will be held Monday, April 17 from 4 to 7 PM at Cedar Memorial Funeral Home with a Prayer and Remembrance Service beginning at 6 PM. A Celebration of Life Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday April 18 at 9:00 AM at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories. Father Steven Rosonke of St. Patrick's Catholic Church will officiate. Entombment: Cedar Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Alma was born in Cedar Rapids, IA on July 4, 1912 and has been known as the "Firecracker Baby" ever since. She was the fifth daughter of seven girls and one boy born to Anna Roselius Bauman and Henry W. Bauman. She married Frank J. O'Neill, a handsome young Irishman from West Union, IA the day before her 18th birthday on July 3, 1930 at Immaculate Conception Church in Cedar Rapids. Since 1960 she had proudly lived in her home at 2238 Williams Blvd. S.W. with her husband Frank along with two finicky and thoroughly indulged cats- Clinker and Molly.

In the height of her career life, Alma was the Notions Department buyer at Craemer's Department Store in downtown Cedar Rapids form 1948 until her retirement in 1977. It was there that her sewing expertise, creativity and management skills blossomed. She loved that store as if it were her own and enjoyed selecting, arranging, and then re-arranging merchandise for her customers- as well as acquiring beautiful fabrics, buttons and trims- becoming a self proclaimed "fabriholic" in the process. This love of fabrics and sewing was an innate part of her youth. At age 8 she made a dress for her sister Berniece and continued creating beautiful things with fabric all her life. She made all of daughter Bonnie's clothing, usually from a picture, not a pattern, ensuring that her daughter would have unique and fashionable outfits, formals- even coats- to wear.

After retiring from Craemer's, Alma turned her attention once again to the fine art of sewing, this time in the fellowship of weekly quilting under the tutelage of Fontelle Plummer and the women of Sharon United Methodist Church. During the 1980's and 90's she reveled in staging garage sales at her Williams Blvd. Home- marketing the apron's, doll clothes and potholders she had made during the Winter, or collected from other friends or sales. Her family teased her about being a "Garage Sale Goddess", one who could scarcely wait 'till the sun came up to raise the door and market her treasures.

Survivors include daughter Bonnie J. Malone, Cedar Rapids, and her fianc? Bob Heberer, Burlington; grandchildren and their families: Cathie Powell Gary, Stephen and Scott Powell, Lake Forest, IL; Susan E. Scott Hollander, Megan and Jeffery, Southborough, MA; Chris N. Jill Cejka, Victoria and Nicholas, Scottsdale, AZ. Sisters: Carol Bell, Menlo Park CA and Dorothy Joseph, Burleson, TX. Sister-in-law Marie O'Neill Hofmaster, Camas, WA; nieces and nephews: Sandy Phillips Stevens, Kathy Kirkland, Diane Kirkland, Toni Landenberger, Barbara Chard, Gloria Romonoff, Everett Bell, Linda Bell, David Bell, Ginny Lou Marty, David Bauman, Jim Morgan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Frank J. O'Neill in May 1984, sisters Virginia Morgan, Ruth Hohmann, Berniece Kirkland, Arlene Phillips Hutchinson, and brother Everett Bauman. Nephews: Curtis Bell, Warren Kirkland, and a niece Ruthann Dowdy.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations in Alma's name may be made to Hospice of Mercy, 2740 First Ave. N.E. Cedar Rapids, IA 52402; The Salvation Army, 1000 C Ave. N.W., Cedar Rapids, IA 52404; or to Cedar Rapids Free Medical Clinic, His Hands Ministries, 1043 Third Ave. S.E. Cedar Rapids, IA 52403.

Alma's family knows how lucky we have been to have her as Chairman of the Board these many years. We were tickled at her wit and humor, her absolute love for each of us, her pleasure and concern for animals, nature, and birds, the way she could mend things so they looked like new, her thriftiness and work ethic, her expectations and high standards for living, her deep religious belief in God's grace?her concern for the other person and not herself?and oh, the family dinners with the world's best fried chicken, homemade kolaches and cinnamon rolls, mashed potatoes with smooth hot gravy, beautiful linens, china, crystal, and fresh flowers from her garden. We will have wonderful stories to tell about her till the end of our days.

The family also wishes to thankfully recognize the extraordinary loving care and respect given to Alma by both Hospice of Mercy and the outstanding staff at Higley Mansion Care Center. Her comfort and peace of mind was their ultimate goal and we know how much she appreciated this. Hospice volunteer Mercedes Reyhons aided Alma in her journey by reading wonderful religious stories to her and being with her in love and friendship. We gratefully treasure her commitment to our mother/grandmother.

Dr. Melanie Stahberg and Dr. Whelan Koontz from Internists PC were responsible fro keeping Alma going, just like the Energizer Bunny, with their wise medical decisions on her behalf, and we thank them for taking time to treat her as the delightful woman she was.

Alma spent many hours with good friends Helen Conklin, Mary Ann Brinks and Royce Chamberlain at Village Place and loved the time she shared with Jack Knaack, Marion McCoy, and the rest of her tablemates at Higley Mansion. You each added to and enriched her life.

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