It is with great sadness that we announce that Barbara (Bobbi) Jean O’Neal (81) of Owings, Maryland passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, after a long and valiant battle with Parkinson’s.

Born on April 8, 1940, to Mary Jeannette Knight, Bobbi spent her childhood growing up in Washington, D.C. After graduating from the Anna Burdick Vocational High School in 1958, she began the start of a long-standing and rewarding federal career. Working for the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons, Bobbi proudly served for more than 35 years before officially retiring in 1995.

Bobbi married the love of her life James (Jim) O’Neal, on December 19, 1969. After the purchase of their dream home, the happy couple resided in Upper Marlboro, Maryland where they focused on raising their two daughters Cherryl and Vicky. As a couple who enjoyed spending time with others, they were greatly known for their warm hospitality. Bobbi who always loved the holidays, especially Christmas, found tremendous joy in opening their home to family and friends to celebrate those special moments.

After her retirement in 1995, Jim and Bobbi relocated south to Rocky Point, North Carolina to enjoy their golden years. As a devoted Christian, Bobbi quickly became a beloved member of both her church family and the local community, where she was widely known for her kindness and generosity. Her charitable nature was just one of her admirable qualities. For more than 50 years, she was a proud member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

As an avid gardener, Bobbi was a natural optimist who saw the beauty in everything around her. Her joyous spirit was highly infectious to others. There was nothing she loved more than making others laugh. She always enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, including a lifelong obsession with sweets. Nothing made her happier than a warm conversation shared over a slice of cake.

For those closest to her, Bobbi will always be remembered as a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend who truly loved life and everyone in it.

She is preceded in death by her mother Mary Jeannette Knight, husband James O’Neal, and brother John Knight.

She is survived by her two daughters Cherryl Watson (Jeffrey), and Victoria Townsend (Lester), grandchildren Mathew Joseph, Robert Joseph (Trista), Joel Watson, Joshua Higgs, Shannon Peck (Jonathan), great-grandchildren Mannix and Wylie Joseph, Owen and Ethan Peck, along with her siblings Paul Adams and Irene Williams.

The family will honor her legacy with a private memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that charitable donations be made to the Brain Support Network in honor of Bobbi. One of her final wishes was to have her brain donated for Parkinson’s research in hopes of a cure being discovered in the future. The Brain Support Network was instrumental in helping her achieve this wish and the family is forever grateful for their guidance and support. 

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