Shelley Kaye O’Neal, age 50, went to heaven to be with Jesus on Saturday, January 11, 2014 following complications from surgery. Shelley was loved by many who will miss the light in her eyes and the quick smile that she had for all that she knew.
Born in Springfield, Missouri to parents Emmit and Betty O’Neal and lived the first five years of her life on the family farm just off Hwy 266 and Clear Creek Rd. Afterwards, the family moved to Battlefield, Missouri where Shelley began school at Republic Elementary. The O’Neal family were charter members of the First Baptist of Battlefield and it was during this time that Shelley accepted the Lord as her Saviour and was baptized at Macedonia Baptist Church in Springfield.
In the mid 1970’s, the O’Neal family moved to Preston, Missouri to open the O’Neal Grocery and Feed Store and thus at a young age, Shelley began to develop the wonderful friendly way that she had about her with the customers. The family also owned and operated O’Neal Grocery in Hermitage, Missouri where Shelley became a graduate of Hermitage High School.
Shelley began her food service career at The Chicken Shack in Hermitage. She later worked for Wal-Mart in Bentonville, Arkansas traveling to set up snack bars in newly constructed Wal-Mart stores across the United States traveling in the Wal-Mart jet. During her employment with Wal-Mart, Shelley moved to Branson, Missouri and managed the Snack Bar in Wal-Mart on the famous Country Music Boulevard. She also had worked for McGuffy’s Restaurant and Red Lobster in Branson. And many will remember her laughter and smile at Stepchild’s in Springfield.
Shelley was blessed by the love of her life, her daughter Sarah Michelle O’Neal who has inherited that beautiful smile. She was so proud of her daughter Sarah’s accomplishment achieving an entry into Missouri Southern to major in music and she traveled many times to Joplin to hear her daughter play in recitals and concerts. Also, Shelley became someone to look up to as a parent traveling with the “band kids” in the Aurora High School Band.
Shelley was building her life with her fiance Ronnie Irick who brought great joy to her life. Shelley and Ron had recently moved to the country near Rogersville and Shelley was excited to plant garden this coming spring. She had hopes of having the Johnson family reunion there as well. Loving family as she did, she had a lot of great times with her Irick family loving them very much. She spoke of the dinners and of Mom Barbara Irick’s homemade rolls.
Preceded in death by her parents Emmit and Betty O’Neal, Shelley is survived by fiance Ronald Irick; daughter Sarah O’Neal (Joplin); sister Sue Ann O’Neal-Clark (husband, Richard, Ozark); brother Steven O’Neal (Aurora); nieces Jennifer Stark (Estarto, CA), Jessica O’Neal(Mt. Vernon); Angela Carter Schroeder(Springfield) nephew Charles Dane Carter (Ozark), Darin Carter(Forsyth); great-nieces Makenna and Addisen Carter, Claire and Kylie Stark, nephews Tyler Carter and Jordan Stevenson, Uncle “Jack” William O’Neal (Lebanon); Aunt Betty Groves (Oceanside, CA) Aunt Betty Johnson (Springfield) a mulitude of Johnson-Wallis-O’Neal cousins and many friends.
The family wishes to express their gratitude for the caring staff at Mercy Hospital and the Select Speciality Hospital in Springfield.
Services are to be held at Greenlawn East in Springfield with Visitation set for Friday, January 17, 2014 5-8pm with the funeral service to be Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 11:00am. Burial to follow at White Chapel, Springfield.