Robert Ray O’Neal
NOVEMBER 9, 1930 – DECEMBER 24, 2021
Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery
Robert Ray O’Neal, age 91, of Magnolia, Texas passed peacefully away during the early morning hours of Christmas Eve, December 24, 2021. Robert was born and raised in St Louis, Missouri on November 9, 1930. Bob loved sports and was especially talented in baseball. In 1950 he was drafted by the New York Yankees by Dizzy Dean. He played in the minor League for one year before going back to college and then enlisting in the Air Force. He served in the Korean War as a navigator on a B29 Bomber. He was always proud to have served his country. While stationed at Ellington Air Force Base in Texas he met the love of his life, Norma Jean Hilton. They were married on August 30, 1952 in Houston, Texas. After his service in the Air Force he completed his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Houston and become a licensed pharmacist. During his career he owned several pharmacies and gifts shops complete with soda fountain and grill. Their last pharmacy went on to become one of the top 5 independent pharmacies in the country. Bob and Norma had two sons, Mark Hilton O’Neal and Brent Wayne O’Neal and raised their family in Houston, Texas. Bob became an avid golfer and also loved bird hunting. As a child he learned to hunt from his dad and continued that tradition hunting with not only his dad but his sons and oldest grandson.
His family grew to include 6 grandchildren. He continued his love of sports by watching his grandchildren play many sports from volleyball to basketball to pole vaulting and any other sport the grandchildren played. He was one of their biggest fans and loved watching them play sports.
Bob and Norma loved to travel after retiring and mostly enjoyed taking their RV on many long road trips. He never really retired as he continued to invest in real estate and even went back to filling in as a pharmacist part-time. As he was known to say when asked why he went back to work, his response was “You can only play so much golf.”
Bob was truly a family man. What brought him the most joy was his family. And even in his last days he loved to see any of his 20 great-children at every opportunity possible. He is survived by his two sons, Mark Hilton O’Neal (Dawn) and Brent Wayne O’Neal (Brenda), his 6 grandchildren, Jonathan O’Neal (Michelle), Meredith O’Neal Harris (Tim), Brittany O’Neal Vaclaw (Marcin), Chelsea O’Neal Baugh (Casey), Sydney O’Neal Memmott (Nathan), Riley O’Neal (Kassi), and his 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Norma.
A funeral service for Robert will be held Thursday, December 30, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Forest Park – The Woodlands Funeral Home, 18000 Interstate 45 S, The Woodlands, TX 77384. A reception will occur Thursday, December 30, 2021 from 12:15 PM to 2:15 PM, 18000 Interstate 45 S, The Woodlands, TX 77384. A committal service will occur Thursday, December 30, 2021 from 12:00 PM to 12:15 PM, 18000 Interstate 45 S, The Woodlands, TX 77384.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkthewoodlands.com for the O’Neal family.
In Memoriam