Obituary of Alice Mary O’Neill

Alice Mary Pryor O’Neill, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2025, at Embassy Hall (Shannex) in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada. She was a loving, generous, kind, and energetic woman who touched and transformed the lives of many!

Born on August 24, 1945, in New Rochelle, New York to Raymond (deceased) and Alice Pryor (deceased), Alice was also raised by her aunt, Mary (Aunt Mae) B. Lynch (deceased). She was the loving wife of Harry B. O’Neill (deceased) for 50 years before his passing in 2017. Alice and Harry were devoted parents to Dr. Alice Ann O’Neill (Sister of Charity of Cincinnati), Irene O’Neill (Marc Larouche), Timothy O’Neill, Elizabeth Tait (Dr. Aaron Tait, DDS). Three of the greatest joys in Alice’s life were her grandchildren - Morgan, AJ and Sydney Tait - whom she loved deeply. She is survived by her brother-in-law Charles George O’Neill (Paulette), John Gordon O’Neill (Sharon). Alice is predeceased by her brothers; Raymond Pryor (Jean), Richard Pryor (Amy) and her brother-in-law John (Jack) O’Neill (Helen). Alice is also survived by many cherished American and Canadian nieces and nephews.

Alice attended Roosevelt Hospital nursing school in New York City in 1963. Upon completing her studies, she volunteered to help with a nursing shortage in Bermuda and lived/worked there for 1 year. Alice moved to Saint John, NB in 1967, and nursed at St. Joseph’s Hospital. After raising her children, she attended UNBSJ for Bachelor in Nursing studies. For many years, she was a home health nurse for the Victorian Order of Nurses in Saint John.

After completing her nursing career, Alice decided to focus on her creativity through writing. She became a journalist for the newspaper in the Kennebecasis Valley and published quite a few articles in magazines such as Yankee, Atlantic Monthly, Sam’s RV Club newsletters, and the Telegraph Journal newspaper. In later years, Alice and Harry enjoyed many miles on the road together in their Bounder RV in their quest to visit every national park in North America (they only missed a few!) and visiting Tucson, Arizona, to hike for many winters.

Alice and Harry were members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for years before becoming founding members of St. Mark’s Parish in Quispamsis. They volunteered for just about every ministry that existed at St. Mark’s Church but they were most proud and happy to be part of New Life New Home (beginning in 1978) which welcomed and helped immigrants from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Poland, and Syria to Canada. Alice taught many new Canadians to speak and read English.

Alice was a long-time board chair and volunteer coordinator at the Cherry Brook Zoo. She had a deep love for animals and advocated for the rights and loving care of animals. Alice spear-headed the creation of the Awareness Centre at the zoo as well as the First Nations Medicine wheel or Healing Circle filled with native plants. Alice also planted, expanded, weeded and maintained the zoo’s many flower gardens for decades.

Alice will be deeply missed by all of her family and friends. There will be a visitation at Kennebecasis Community Funeral Home, 152 Pettingill Road, Quispamsis (506-849-2119) on Thursday, April 3rd, 4-7pm. Alice O’Neill’s life will be celebrated with a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, April 4th, 11am, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Rothesay, New Brunswick, followed by a reception at the Church. Interment to take place at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Saint John. Donations in memory of Alice, may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, or the Magnetic Hill Zoo. For those unable to attend Alice’s Mass, the service will be livestreamed by clicking the provided link at www.kennebecasisfh.com