Loren (Larry) O'Neil

Loren James (Larry) O’Neil, 65, died peacefully Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, at the Kalispell Regional Hospital.

Larry was born Aug. 20, 1953 in Kalispell. He attended school in Libby until he moved to Troy in the eighth grade, where he graduated in 1971.

He worked at the Libby Dam and met Chris Venezio, then joined the Air Force in 1973. He and Chris were married in Jan. 1974.

Larry was trained as an Avionics Technician for the Air Force to work in the PMEL Lab at Mather AFB, California, then Fairchild AFB in Spokane as he and Chris welcomed two daughters to their family. He was honorably discharged from the USAF at Fairchild, earned his associates degree, and went to Idaho Falls to work for the DOE at the EG&G Standards Laboratory.

In Idaho, his family was completed with the birth of a son. Larry was picked up by civil service and took his family on a 25-year tour of the world, beginning with Spain.

As a DOD Navy Calibration Technician, he took his family to the Philippines, then to Oak Harbor, Washington, where his daughters married. He went on to Okinawa, Japan for five years, then to Sicily for five more. He returned to Okinawa for 7.5 years before retiring from civil service in December 2012. He came home to Troy for six months then, was called back to Oak Harbor to work as a contractor at the NAVCALAB. He retired home to Troy for the final time in June 2018. Larry was only home for six months before God called him to His side.

Larry was preceded in death by father Tom O’Neil; mother Nadine; step-mother Myrna O’Neil; and brother Bruce.

Larry is survived by his wife of 45 years, Chris; their three children, Kami Schultz (DeGeo), Jaime Croucher (Rob) and Timothy O’Neil. They have seven grandchildren, Skyler, Alex and Sydney Schultz; Ray, Chantel and Carlos Bernal; and Natesha O’Neil. Also mourning him are his sisters, Diana Bauer (Jack), Dacia O’Neil, Koni Reynolds (Ed), and Deena Cook (Steve).

Special Love from his “Mom” Elva Fifield and his step-parents, Chuck and Lou Neisess, as well as his best friend, Bob (Cher).

He will be so missed.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Troy Assembly of God at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 9. All family and friends welcome. Pot Luck to follow.