Carol Jean O’Neal
March 12, 1951 - July 3, 2025
Carol J. O'Neal, 74, of Denver, Colorado, passed away peacefully at her home on July 3, 2025, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. A woman whose life was defined by her immense heart and dedication to others, Carol's vibrant spirit and lifelong passion for learning and music touched countless lives.
Born in California, Carol was the beloved daughter of the late Harold R. Still and Jean B. Still Powers. She was the cherished wife of Clifford O'Neal, with whom she built a beautiful life over 48 loving years.
Carol's journey in education began at the University of Arizona, where she earned a Master's in Special Education. It was there, serendipitously at a church social, that she met the love of her life, Cliff. They were married within a year, beginning a partnership filled with love and mutual support. Their journey together took them from California, where their first three children, Lindsey, Ian, and Brady, were born, to Maryland, where their youngest, Molly, completed their family.
Throughout her life, Carol shared her gifts as an educator, musician, and community steward. She delighted in teaching preschool, fostering the early development of her "little humans." A true "music lady" at church, she cherished her time with the bell choir. She played the autoharp, ensuring all her children learned to read music and sing in harmony.
After retiring from formal teaching, Carol poured her energy into meaningful volunteer work, supporting immigrant schoolchildren, teaching English to Afghani women, crafting intricate quilts and costumes, and, most joyfully, nurturing her beloved grandchildren.
Carol was a gregarious and outgoing soul who never met a stranger and had a song for every occasion. Her adventurous spirit, inherited from her WWII pilot father, led her to live in many places including California, South Carolina, Guam, Taiwan, Tucson, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Denver.
Carol leaves behind her devoted husband, Cliff; her brother, Bill Still and his wife Elizabeth of Tucson, Arizona; and her brother and sister-in-law, Nancy and Steve Howarth of Cedaredge, Colorado. She will be profoundly missed by her four children and their families: Lindsey and her husband Mike of Denver; Ian and his wife Elisabeth of Wellesley, Massachusetts; Brady and his wife Heather of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Molly and her husband Matt of Towson, Maryland. Her memory will also be treasured by her beloved grandchildren: Rowan Harding, Aubrey, George, and Louisa O'Neal, and Ellen and Luke Smith.
Donations
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Wellshire Presbyterian Church.
Please select “Refugee Support” under the “Fund” tab.
Proceeds will be used to provide for the education of the children of the families she tutored.
Memorial Service
Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Wellshire Presbyterian Church
2999 S. Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO 80222
Photo Gallery
