Local obituary: Will O’Neal, 26, Westford Academy and Middlebury College graduate

William R. H. O’Neal — It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of our beloved Will, age 26, who died on September 23, 2024, after being struck by a car as he was riding his bicycle, in Brooklyn, NY.

Will was born in Concord, MA on May 14, 1998 and grew up in Westford, MA. He graduated from Westford Academy in 2016 and Middlebury College in 2020, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America in 2016. For his Eagle Scout project, he created a Seed Library for the J.V. Fletcher Library in Westford, still used by many, where members of the community can give and receive seeds for free and spread Will’s lifelong love of gardening and all things outdoors. After college, he began a journey that would take him around the world through a multitude of experiences, all of which shaped Will’s character and connection to others. From gleaning fruits and vegetables to helping to combat food insecurity at Backyard Harvest in Moscow, ID, to teaching English at a Spanish high school in Valencia, Spain, to exploring a Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin, Will was constantly seeking to engage with new people, new ideas and the natural world. Early in 2024, Will settled into his happy place in Brooklyn, NY, where he was able to pursue his passion for horticulture and botany, while working for Halsted Welles Associates, a firm specializing in the design, installation and maintenance of high-end rooftop gardens in NYC.

Throughout all of this, Will was an artist at heart, producing voluminous poetry and writings about the world and what it means to be human, often reflected through his personal experiences as a gay man. He was a vociferous reader who was bold and adventurous and he made friends everywhere he went. He also had a quick sense of humor and loved to laugh. He left a lasting impression on all who met him and will be missed deeply by many.

Will leaves behind his parents, Robert and Mariclare (Foster) O’Neal of Westford; his older brothers, Shane O’Neal and his wife, Christine Hayes, of Washington, DC, and Brian O’Neal and his partner, Samantha Reese, of Brighton, MA; his grandmother, Ruth (Sanborn) O’Neal of Effingham, NH; his grandfather, Roland O’Neal and his wife, Pauline Callas, of Sleepy Hollow, NY; his grandmother, Jean (Poirier) Foster of Waltham, MA; along with a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many friends. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Edward and Marie (Hanley) Foster of Waltham, MA.

Services will be private. Gifts in memory of Will can be made to The Knoll at Middlebury College, in memory of Will O’Neal, at go.middlebury.edu/KnollDonation. Please click “This gift is a tribute (to),” then add “William O’Neal” in the name pop-up box. Checks should be mailed to Office of Advancement, Middlebury College, 700 Exchange Street, Middlebury, VT 05753 and note on the memo line “in memory of Will O’Neal.”

The Knoll is Middlebury’s organic farm and a place that was an important part of Will’s time at Middlebury. Even when not working there, he would visit the Knoll to use the pizza oven with friends, explore the labyrinth, relish the spectacular sunsets, go for a run through the beautiful trail network or just be. It is his family’s wish that other “Midd” students have the opportunity to feel the joy that Will felt while in this sacred space full of peace and love.

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