Elaine O'Neal
d. August 9, 2023
Elaine O’Neal, age 79, of Granite Falls, Minnesota passed away on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, August 18, 2023 at 11:00 AM at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Granite Falls with interment following in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, August 17, 2023 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Wing-Bain Funeral Home in Granite Falls with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.
Elaine Marie (VanKeulen) O’Neal was born March 4th, 1944, in Ghent, Minnesota to Hubert and Anna (Van Uden) VanKeulen. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent. Elaine attended St. Eloi schools through 8th grade and graduated from Marshall Central Catholic High School in 1962. On October 30th, 1965, she married John O’Neal at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent. They made their home in Granite Falls, except for a short move to Apple Valley, they lived their entire married life in Granite Falls.
Elaine was an A student in sewing class and made many items of clothing for her family. She was a daycare provider for close to 30 years, personal care attendant, and was a housekeeper at Project Turnabout for the last 17 years with recently retiring. Elaine and her family loved to travel by car, airplane, and tour bus. Elaine has taken many trips over the years, but the trips to Ireland with her husband, John and Hawaii with her sister, Marian were a few that were very memorable to her.
Elaine was an avid bowler and went to many state and national tournaments. She had a memorable tournament in Reno, Nevada and finished high in the money. Elaine’s family will remember her most for her funny antics and personality. Elaine loved her fashion and always wanted to look her best which included her clip-on earrings, flip flops and flashy shirts. Many cans of Aqua Net hairspray were purchased over the years to get her hair perfectly styled. Elaine loved gathering her family around her kitchen table playing games and passing around a bowl of Old Dutch potato chips and her assorted candy trays. She was very particular about the way she did things like folding a fitted sheet to making an apple pie. A few of Elaine’s signature dishes were meatballs, peanut butter blossom cookies, and potato salad although she never liked to write down her recipes. Elaine loved her kids and grandkids and would always go all out on holidays, like Christmas where she would buy a special ornament from Hallmark for them. She loved to decorate for each occasion, especially filling her house with tons of snowmen for the long Minnesota winters.
Elaine is survived by her husband, John; daughters, Lori (Brian) Schindele of Granite Falls, Lisa (Marc) Hewitt of Brooklyn Park, MN, Erin (Dan) Korstad of Shiloh, IL, and Megan (Chris) Canatsey of Granite Falls. Grandchildren, Courtney (Zach) Buseman, Lucas Schindele, Nicholas Schindele, Sydney Korstad, Lyndsey Korstad, Brayden Korstad, Bradley Hewitt, Drew Hewitt, Talan Canatsey, Holden Canatsey, and Harper Canatsey and one great-grandchild, Brynlee Buseman. Brothers, Joseph (Rosemary) and Ron (Carole) VanKeulen and Sister Marian O’Neal. Brothers-in-law, Steve (Marlys) O’Neal and Don (Jean) O’Neal; sister-in-law, Cathie Aunoien. Many nieces, nephews and friends including good friend, Gerry Hyatt.
She was proceeded in death by her son, Brendan; grandson, John; parents, Hubert and Anna; in-laws, John and Margaret O’Neal; sisters, Patricia, Betty, Marjorie and brothers, Danny and Eugene.
Elaine Marie (VanKeulen) O’Neal was born March 4th, 1944, in Ghent, Minnesota to Hubert and Anna (Van Uden) VanKeulen. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent. Elaine attended St. Eloi schools through 8th grade and graduated from Marshall Central Catholic High School in 1962. On October 30th, 1965, she married John O’Neal at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent. They made their home in Granite Falls, except for a short move to Apple Valley, they lived their entire married life in Granite Falls.
Elaine was an A student in sewing class and made many items of clothing for her family. She was a daycare provider for close to 30 years, personal care attendant, and was a housekeeper at Project Turnabout for the last 17 years with recently retiring. Elaine and her family loved to travel by car, airplane, and tour bus. Elaine has taken many trips over the years, but the trips to Ireland with her husband, John and Hawaii with her sister, Marian were a few that were very memorable to her.
Elaine was an avid bowler and went to many state and national tournaments. She had a memorable tournament in Reno, Nevada and finished high in the money. Elaine’s family will remember her most for her funny antics and personality. Elaine loved her fashion and always wanted to look her best which included her clip-on earrings, flip flops and flashy shirts. Many cans of Aqua Net hairspray were purchased over the years to get her hair perfectly styled. Elaine loved gathering her family around her kitchen table playing games and passing around a bowl of Old Dutch potato chips and her assorted candy trays. She was very particular about the way she did things like folding a fitted sheet to making an apple pie. A few of Elaine’s signature dishes were meatballs, peanut butter blossom cookies, and potato salad although she never liked to write down her recipes. Elaine loved her kids and grandkids and would always go all out on holidays, like Christmas where she would buy a special ornament from Hallmark for them. She loved to decorate for each occasion, especially filling her house with tons of snowmen for the long Minnesota winters.
Elaine is survived by her husband, John; daughters, Lori (Brian) Schindele of Granite Falls, Lisa (Marc) Hewitt of Brooklyn Park, MN, Erin (Dan) Korstad of Shiloh, IL, and Megan (Chris) Canatsey of Granite Falls. Grandchildren, Courtney (Zach) Buseman, Lucas Schindele, Nicholas Schindele, Sydney Korstad, Lyndsey Korstad, Brayden Korstad, Bradley Hewitt, Drew Hewitt, Talan Canatsey, Holden Canatsey, and Harper Canatsey and one great-grandchild, Brynlee Buseman. Brothers, Joseph (Rosemary) and Ron (Carole) VanKeulen and Sister Marian O’Neal. Brothers-in-law, Steve (Marlys) O’Neal and Don (Jean) O’Neal; sister-in-law, Cathie Aunoien. Many nieces, nephews and friends including good friend, Gerry Hyatt.
She was proceeded in death by her son, Brendan; grandson, John; parents, Hubert and Anna; in-laws, John and Margaret O’Neal; sisters, Patricia, Betty, Marjorie and brothers, Danny and Eugene.
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