Frank Thomas O’Neill Sr., Restauranteur and Father of Six Entrepreneurs
Frank Thomas O’Neill Sr. passed away peacefully in Radnor, PA on June 11, 2017. Frank was an entrepreneur. Frank never finished high school and enlisted in the Army in World War II. Frank served during the occupation of Japan.
A great deal of his life was affected by what he saw in post-war Japan under General Douglas MacArthur. Upon returning fromthe war, Frank began his entrepreneurial career. He opened a flower shop and a furniture shop in Suburban Square in Ardmore, PA. He then started to acquire restaurants beginning with the Tavern in Bala Cynwyd, The Lock, Stock & Barrel in Paoli and The Inn of the Four Falls in Conshohocken.
Frank met his wife Peggy at TheWhite Briar in Avalon, NJ and eventually ran the hotel with his brother-in-law and dear friend, Eustace Wolfington. He also traded art and antiques until his death. Frank employed mostly young people in the hotel and restaurants, and for many it was their first job.
Frank, Jr. said, “I have met hundreds of people who said my father changed their life.”
Frank came from a family of 10. Peggy, had 14 siblings, and together they had nearly 300 nieces, nephews and cousins. Frank and Peggy had 6 sons, each of whom worked at the restaurants. He encouraged them to be entrepreneurs and taught them sales, customer service, hard work, cost and crisis management and how to get along with all people. Frank’s sons went on to have careers in real estate, home decorating, healthcare, and oil and gas. His children have built companies employing thousands of people. Frank Jr. said, “He taught us the meaning of hard work.” Bill said, “Dad loved life and knewa thousand people.” Frank was a creative man who, with no formal education, read numerous newspapers everyday and devoured multiple 700 page books at a time. Hewas well versed on current affairs, business, politics, art, music and theater. Frank was a lifelong Democrat admiring Franklin D. Roosevelt for pulling the country out of the depression and supporting John Kennedy and Bill Clinton. This created spirited debates within his family.
Frank is survived by his 6 sons: Frank Jr., Brian (Miriam), Joe (Ioni), Mike (Jeannie), Bill, Vince and 16 grandchildren. Frank’s wife, Peggy, predeceased himin 2011. In lieu of a wake, the family hosted an “IRISH SHIVA” at the Overbrook Golf Club in Villanova on Thursday, June 15th. The funeral mass was held on Friday, June 16th at St. Katherine of Siena on Lancaster Ave in Wayne, PA followed by a reception at Autograph Brasserie in Wayne, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations bemade in Frank O’Neill Sr.’s name to St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Phoenixville, PA.
Arrangements by The D’Anjolell Memorial Home
www.danjolell.com