Obituary of Donna Jean O'Neill

Donna Jean O’Neill passed away peacefully in her home on January 30, 2024, in Sun Lakes, AZ. She was born June 5, 1938, in Clark, South Dakota, to Victor Emmons Blegen and Irene Johanna Brenden. The middle of five children, Donna graduated high school in 1956 and married her sweetheart Jim O’Neill later that year. Soon after, the two relocated to sunny Arizona to put down roots.

Donna loved the outdoors and would often travel with her husband. She held a few different jobs over the years, including retirement from Honeywell, but devoted most of her time to her loving husband and two daughters. Later in life, her hobbies included crochet, paint by numbers, crosswords, reading every night and spending time with family. She was also an active member in the Sun Lakes Breakfast Lions club and a faithful parishioner at St. Steven’s.

Donna has returned home to the loving embrace of her Heavenly Father, and joins her husband, Jim O’Neill; daughter Lynn Marie Johnson; father Victor Blegen; mother Irene Brenden; brother Jerry Blegen; and sister Marlene Blegen. She is survived by daughter Shelly Ann O’Neill; sisters Sharon Carpenter (Gordon) and Bette Stevens (Dan); sister-in-law Carol O’Neill; grandchildren Cliff Estes, Rami O’Neill, Lisa Estes, Taggart Behr, and Kacey Campbell; six great-grandchildren; and many other family and friends who will miss her dearly.

A celebration of life will be held at a later time to allow loved ones to gather and remember this sweet and courageous woman. She had the purest heart and loved everyone. We all love you, you will be missed.