Obituary for Mary Frances Smith (O'Neill)
Mary Frances Smith (O’Neill) of Jupiter, Florida passed into eternal life on the evening of Thursday, August 20th, 2020 at 103 years old. She was with her loving daughter and caretaker Marianne Smith and surrounded by the thoughts and prayers of her family.
A true Irish American, Mary was born in Belfast, Ireland to Thomas and Annie (Hammond) O’Neill and had six sisters and one brother. Coming to the United States as a young child, Mary and her family embraced their new home while always retaining a love for Ireland. Those close to her would remember her insistence that “O’Neill” was spelled the “Catholic” way, with two “L’s”. She also passed on books of her ancestor, Hugh O’Neill, the Earl of Tyrone.
Mary was a graduate of Saint Michael’s High School in Jersey City, New Jersey and worked for the Archdiocese of Newark’s Society for the Propagation of the Faith from her teens to adulthood. She met the love of her life, George Leo Smith Sr., in high school where they were on the same basketball team. George served as an Army Air Corps officer in WWII and later, a professional actor. He passed away on March 3, 1993.
Mary’s gentle, beautiful, and joy filled personality endeared her to everyone she met. She was a supportive mother, devoted sister, loving grandmother, and great-grandmother. She could read an entire novel in two evenings, was a Rummikub champion, and could complete a crossword puzzle in record time! She spent 100 years drinking tea, three times a day; switching to coffee when she turned 101.
She is survived by her loving children: Marianne Smith, George Leo Smith Jr. and wife Joan Parker Smith, her 3 beloved sisters Kathleen Valent, Fran Perna, and Josephine McLaughlin; her three grandchildren: George Leo Smith III and wife Nadia Smith, Katherine Grace Smith-Feitosa and husband Bernardo Smith-Feitosa, and Ryan Parker Smith; and her five great-grandchildren Eliannah Marie Smith, Chiara Mercedes Smith, George Leo Smith IV, Patrick Joaquim Smith-Feitosa, and Aurora Mary Smith-Feitosa (born two days before Mary’s passing.)
A lifelong supporter of Doctors Without Borders, the family encourages donations in lieu of flowers, made in her memory to that organization: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
May the Lord Jesus Christ welcome Mary into His divine kingdom and we ask her to watch over each of us until we can hug her once again in paradise. May God bless you Nana. We love you and miss you already.
A true Irish American, Mary was born in Belfast, Ireland to Thomas and Annie (Hammond) O’Neill and had six sisters and one brother. Coming to the United States as a young child, Mary and her family embraced their new home while always retaining a love for Ireland. Those close to her would remember her insistence that “O’Neill” was spelled the “Catholic” way, with two “L’s”. She also passed on books of her ancestor, Hugh O’Neill, the Earl of Tyrone.
Mary was a graduate of Saint Michael’s High School in Jersey City, New Jersey and worked for the Archdiocese of Newark’s Society for the Propagation of the Faith from her teens to adulthood. She met the love of her life, George Leo Smith Sr., in high school where they were on the same basketball team. George served as an Army Air Corps officer in WWII and later, a professional actor. He passed away on March 3, 1993.
Mary’s gentle, beautiful, and joy filled personality endeared her to everyone she met. She was a supportive mother, devoted sister, loving grandmother, and great-grandmother. She could read an entire novel in two evenings, was a Rummikub champion, and could complete a crossword puzzle in record time! She spent 100 years drinking tea, three times a day; switching to coffee when she turned 101.
She is survived by her loving children: Marianne Smith, George Leo Smith Jr. and wife Joan Parker Smith, her 3 beloved sisters Kathleen Valent, Fran Perna, and Josephine McLaughlin; her three grandchildren: George Leo Smith III and wife Nadia Smith, Katherine Grace Smith-Feitosa and husband Bernardo Smith-Feitosa, and Ryan Parker Smith; and her five great-grandchildren Eliannah Marie Smith, Chiara Mercedes Smith, George Leo Smith IV, Patrick Joaquim Smith-Feitosa, and Aurora Mary Smith-Feitosa (born two days before Mary’s passing.)
A lifelong supporter of Doctors Without Borders, the family encourages donations in lieu of flowers, made in her memory to that organization: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
May the Lord Jesus Christ welcome Mary into His divine kingdom and we ask her to watch over each of us until we can hug her once again in paradise. May God bless you Nana. We love you and miss you already.