Ruth Elizabeth Kayser

Notes:

Ruth Kayser O'Neil, 89, of Seabury Retirement Community, formerly of West Hartford, died peacefully on February 8, 2015 at Seabury. She was the wife of the late Reverend Allan House O'Neil, Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, West Hartford. Ruth was born October 23, 1925 in St Louis, Missouri, the daughter of the late Julius A. Kayser and Lily Laring Kayser, formerly of Copenhagen, Denmark. After attending Washington University she was employed by American Airlines in St. Louis, and then transferred to American Overseas Airlines in Boston. This gave her the opportunity to fly to Copenhagen to meet her relatives and learn firsthand about her family roots. While in Boston she met Mr. O'Neil, and they married on May 30, 1951. Following his graduation from The Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge they moved to Springfield, OH where he served as assistant rector for two years. Subsequent service was as rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Piqua, OH for five years, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Meriden for 14 years, and St. John's Church for fifteen years. Ruth was active in the church life of all of those parishes and a strong supporter of Reverend O'Neil's ministry. In Meriden she was also a Welcome Wagon Hostess, a staff member at Family Practice Associates, and a member of the Board of the American Cancer Society. In West Hartford she worked at Hartford College for Women, was a member of the Board of the American Cancer Society, and was an active participant in the Monday Reading Club. Ruth was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Surviving her are her sister, Doris Kayser of Longneck, DE; two sons, Allan House O'Neil, II of Las Vegas, NV and Brooks Gregory O'Neil and wife Patricia M. O'Neil of Edina, MN; eight grandchildren, Kaitlin Jane, Chelsea House, Meghan Ruth, Brooks Taylor, Charles Walker, Patrick Chase, William Tucker, and Michael Kamback O'Neil; and a friend, Barbara Sager, wife of the late Thomas Knight Sager, whom Ruth and her husband served as legal guardians for when he was orphaned in his youth. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at 11 a.m. in St. John's Episcopal Church, West Hartford with The Right Reverend Clarence Coleridge officiating. Burial of her ashes will be in the cloister garden at the church. There will also be a memorial service at the Seabury Retirement Community chapel at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon.

Ruth married Allan House O'Neil on 30 May 1951 in Montpelier, Vermont, USA. Allan (son of Brooks Emmerson O'Neil and Mildred Addie House) was born on 5 Apr 1925 in Barre, Vermont, USA; died on 7 Dec 2006 in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA; was cremated in Saint John's Episcopal Church Cloister Garden, West Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Allan House O'Neil
2. Brooks Gregory O'Neil