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Cecil O'Neal

Profile Updated: January 26, 2021
Residing In:
Dallas and La Chapelle Gonaguet, France France
Spouse/Partner:
Rebecca Young
Occupation:
Professor Emeritus, Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
Military Service:
Army  
Comments:

I spent the summer of 1961 working at my job at the Banner Gas station (cheapest gas in town, 29.9 a gallon at that time) on the corner of 63rd and 22nd. Jim Zaleski, Peter Gentile and I were fellow "Banner Boys". That fall I could not afford to go away to university so John Sturino and I joined the army, at the height of the Berlin crisis, on the "Buddy System" and went through basic training together.

On our first leave home after basic John asked me to rough up some senior who was giving his then girlfriend a hard time. John couldn't do it himself, because the guy was about my size and John thought he would have seemed too much of a bully taking on someone that much smaller.

After three years in the army, including about a year in Germany, and a bit of time bumming around Europe, I came back to kenosha and started university, first at the "extension", then in Madison. I received a BA in Political Science from U

Cecil's Latest Interactions

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Cecil O'Neal posted a message.
Mar
29
Mar 29, 2023 at 8:32 AM

Also, has a location been chosen for the 80th birthday?

Cecil O'Neal posted a message. New comment added.
Mar
30
Mar 30, 2023 at 10:07 AM

Posted on: Mar 29, 2023 at 8:31 AM

Hello,

Can anyone tell me how to edit my profile? I not longer live a part of the year in Dallas and I would like to change that on my profile.

Thanks a bunch,
Cecil

Feb
16
Feb 16, 2023 at 4:32 PM

Happy Birthday buddy enjoy your day

Feb 16, 2023 at 1:03 PM

Happy Birthday Cecil. Hope you're having a great day. Stay safe.

Cecil O'Neal has a birthday today. New comment added.
Feb 16, 2023 at 6:44 AM

Posted on: Feb 16, 2023 at 4:33 AM

Cecil O'Neal posted a message.
Oct
18
Oct 18, 2022 at 7:32 PM

Bon anniversarie, mon ami.

Cecil O'Neal posted a message.
Aug
07
Aug 07, 2022 at 3:54 PM

Happy Birthday, Eva. I hope you have a glorious day of celebration.

Best,
Cecil

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Jul
14
Jul 14, 2022 at 4:48 PM

Posted on: Jul 10, 2022 at 7:35 AM

Happy Birthday, Par!

Cecil O'Neal posted a message.
Jul
06
Jul 06, 2022 at 11:56 AM

Hey Peter,

Hope you are having a great, great Birthday! We think of you often. Rebecca sends her love, as do I.

C

Cecil O'Neal added a comment on Profile.
Jun
24
Jun 24, 2022 at 5:48 AM
Cecil O'Neal posted a message. New comment added.
Apr
05
Apr 05, 2022 at 1:57 PM

Posted on: Apr 05, 2022 at 9:40 AM

Happy Birthday, Buddy! Can you believe we are 79 years old? A long way since we were processed into the army in 1961 in Milwaukee.

Hope you are having a fantastic day!

Best,
C

Cecil O'Neal has left an In Memory comment for Thom Orgelstrand.
Mar 29, 2022 at 9:36 AM

So sorry to hear about Thom.  Is there an obituary?  My memory of Thom is that at 16 or 17 he was already a true eccentric.  High praise in my book.

Cecil O'Neal has left an In Memory comment for Profile.
Mar 15, 2022 at 9:21 AM

Chuck,

Thanks so much for this.  Neighborhood history that I had no idea of.  Amazing that your father lived in that house for 92 years.

It would be great to see you at the 80th birthday party, if it happens.

Best
Cecil

 

 

Cecil O'Neal has left an In Memory comment for Profile.
Mar 12, 2022 at 11:30 AM

Roberta Weber and I exchanged some meories of skip about a year ago on this site.  I won't repeat all that I shared with Roberta, but Skip was a great and influential friend.  He and Roberta were the only members of our kindergarten class who could read and were often called upon to do so.

Skip's family home was an eccentric cottage on the west side of 7th Avenue just two doors south of the cemetary.  It had a huge back yard, the western bouderies of which were more like a country field than a small town back yard, at least im my memory.  We even dug a "foxhole" back there.  A group of us from Southport hung out there on a regular basis; Skip, Peter Kaiser, Mark Schmerling, Chuck Limpert...Sadly, Chuck and I may be the only ones still alive from that little group.  We would sit in that "foxhole" and talk for hours about whatever adolescent boys talked about, probably adolescent girls.

I was the only one who lived west of 7th avenue, sort of the equivelent of the "the other side of the tracks" in those days.  We lived on 73rd Street west of 8th Avenue.  Tom and Terry Fugette lived on 8th Avenue just north of 75th Street and Tony DiCello lived on 74th Street jsut west of 8th.

Skip was an extremely bright and interesting man.  His death is a huge loss.

Cecil O'Neal posted a message. New comment added.
Mar 13, 2022 at 10:51 AM

Posted on: Mar 01, 2022 at 12:35 PM

Happy Birthday, Roberta! I hope you have a glorious day and that you celebrate all week.

Best,
Cecil

Cecil O'Neal posted a message.
Feb 20, 2022 at 6:56 AM

Ciao Rita,

Thanks fo much for the birthday wishes. Belated bothers me not at all. Yes, it was great seeing you at the 60th and yes we plan on attending the 80th birthday party (80th !!!!!). Can't wait to see you.

Love,
C

Feb 20, 2022 at 6:52 AM

Henry,

Thanks so much for the birthday greeting. I hope al is well in your world.

All the best,
Cecil

Feb 18, 2022 at 2:01 PM

Cecil, a belated Happy Birthday. Hope you enjoyed your day. Stay safe.

Cecil O'Neal has a birthday today. New comment added.
Feb 20, 2022 at 7:03 AM

Posted on: Feb 16, 2022 at 4:33 AM

Cecil O'Neal posted a message. New comment added.
Jan 07, 2022 at 10:16 AM

Posted on: Jan 07, 2022 at 4:31 AM

Dear Connie,

Wishing you a belated "Happy Birthday"! I hope you had a grand day of celebration and I hope 2022 is very good to you!

Best,
Cecil

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Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 1:02 AM