Obituary of Lloyd R. O'Neal

Lloyd R. O’Neal, of Tyler and former resident of Orange, died on January 26, 2016 in Tyler after a brief illness at the age of 92. Funeral services will be held at Arp Emmanuel Baptist Church on Friday, January 29 at 2pm with Rev. Dr. Ron Klingsick officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to service and burial will follow at Mason Cemetery in Arp under the direction of Cottle Funeral Home, Troup. Mr. O’Neal was born on May 17, 1923 in Troup, Texas, the son of T.D. O’Neal and Jessie Rucker O’Neal. Graduating from high school in Troup and then attending Kilgore Junior College, Mr. O’Neal served in the U.S. Army Air Corps beginning in 1943 and was discharged at the end of World War II as a second lieutenant and bombardier navigator. In 1946, he married his wife of 67 years, Frankie Parker O’Neal of Arp. Mr. O’Neal graduated from Texas A&M University in 1950 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was a lifelong devoted donor and supporter of Texas A&M. The couple moved to Orange, Texas, where Lloyd was hired as a junior engineer at DuPont’s Sabine River Works. Faithful members of the First Baptist Church in Orange, Lloyd and Frankie were also active, as they raised their two children, as leaders in Scouting and Campfire. Lloyd was also a valued member of the Orange Lions Club. He was an enthusiast of restoring antique cars and generously gave of his expertise to many others in Orange. Lloyd retired from DuPont in 1984 as a senior engineer. In retirement, Lloyd and Frankie were active in the Boat Club as well as remaining involved in Scouting, including Sea Scouts in Orange. In 2005, Lloyd and Frankie moved to Tyler and lived at Alterra Sterling House and then at the Hamptons. After Mrs. O’Neal passed away in December of 2013, Mr. O’Neal enjoyed the fellowship and support of the residents and staff of the Watkins Logan Texas State Veterans Home in Tyler beginning in early 2014. He is survived by his daughter Molly O’Neal and husband Geoff Cleasby of Washington, DC and his son Robert Thomas O’Neal and wife Marlene of Houston and by grandsons Alex Cleasby, Tim Cleasby, Daniel Pena and Mark Pena. He also is survived by his sister Dorothy Craft of Taylorsville, Mississippi, by seven nephews and three nieces