JOHN O’NEILL, Ph.D, FRSC, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus, York University, died in his sleep in hospital on Sept. 7, 2022 at age 89 after a fall, with his last day spent with family.
John was the beloved husband of Susan O’Neill for 38 years.
He was the dear father of Daniela O’Neill (Derek Koehler), late son Greg O’Neill (Anita Hattiangadi), and Brendan (Janet Green) O’Neill with his late former wife, Maria O’Neill (Doerig). He was the treasured grandad of Taite Koehler, and Dylan and Penelope O’Neill.
He was cherished by Susan’s children, Wendy Hallam Martin (Gary), Kathleen Kibzey (Luke) and Jennifer Rea (Bill) and grandchildren, Brontë and Bryn Martin, Jasper and Tess Kibzey, and James and William Rea. He also will be sorely missed by Susan’s sister, Alexis Young.
In 1964, he joined the Department of Sociology at York University in Toronto. He co-founded its Graduate Program of Social and Political Thought in 1972. He is internationally renowned as a sociologist, phenomenologist and social theorist. He founded the Joint Graduate Program in Communication and Culture at York and Toronto Metropolitan University and was a Senior Scholar at the Laidlaw Foundations’ Children at Risk Program and the Centre for Comparative Literature at the University of Toronto. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1985. His original approach to the sociology of the body and the critical theory of the body politicbegan with Sociology as a Skin Trade: Essays Towards a Reflexive Sociology (1972) and his lifetime’s work included dozens more books, many translated into several languages, and hundreds of articles. Susan often assisted him, editing manuscripts and corresponding with students, many of whom became life-long friends. Established in 1994, the John O’Neill Teaching Award at York is named in his honour and reflects a beloved teacher and mentor.
John was born in Hendon, Northwest London to John and Catherine (Hayburn) O’Neill. He earned his B.Sc. (Sociology) from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1955, his MA (Political Science) from Notre Dame in 1957, and his Ph.D. (History of Social Thought) from Stanford University in 1962.
He considered himself a Londoner all his life. Beyond being an admired intellectual, he was a true, charming gentleman whose dry British wit was always accompanied by a twinkle in his eye. As a husband, father, and grandfather who had traveled extensively, he instilled in others a deep appreciation for the pursuit of knowledge and attention to wider societal issues.
We thank his long-time colleague and friend Tom Wilson and his many devoted former students, especially Doug Arrowsmith, Naomi Cuoto, Mark Featherstone, Tom Kemple, and Molly Mann, who provided help and support long after his retirement.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ontario alzheimer.ca/on/en/take-action/donate. There will be a celebration of John O’Neill’s life at a later date at York. Those wishing to attend should email Daniela (doneill@uwaterloo.ca).
2022
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de John O’Neill 2022..
Morley Bedford Funeral Services Ltd
Décès pour la Ville:Toronto, Province: Ontario
Dear Susan,
Please accept our deepest and most sincere condolences for you and your family,regarding John’s passing this week. In the short time that I knew John, he always struck me as a true gentleman, and a quiet and deep thinking individual! I’m sure that you relish many marvelous memories from your 38 years together! No one can ever take those from you and will keep John alive in your heart forever.
Most respectfully.
Paul & Rhonda Wood.