Local obituary: Erin O’Neill, 48, local art teacher

Erin Leigh O’Neill of Melrose, MA, formerly of Milton, passed away suddenly on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Erin was born on June 13, 1977, in Boston, MA. At age six, her family moved to Milton, MA, where she attended Milton Public Schools until high school, when she graduated from Notre Dame Academy in Hingham, MA, before going on to attend the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she earned her degree in art and education.

After college, Erin began her career as an art teacher, working at St. Agatha’s, Lynn Public Schools, South Shore Collaborative, and Woburn Public Schools. Erin embodied enduring patience and compassion working with all types of students and had a special talent working with nonverbal students and those with severe developmental disabilities, a skill reflective of the gentle being that Erin was. She truly believed that anyone could be an artist and took great joy in working with – and learning from – her students.

Erin was blessed with a sharp wit, a wicked sense of humor, and exquisitely curly hair, which she began straightening into submission as soon as she could hold a hot tool. Her sense of style was intrepid; wardrobe fundamentals included leopard print and concert tees, accented with dashes of bold color atop a solid base of black. At a young age, Erin mastered the art of makeup application, though she hardly needed it – her beauty radiated from the inside out, from her sparkling green eyes to her glowing skin, but it was her broad smile that made everyone feel warm and welcome in her presence.

Fashion-forward as she was, Erin also enjoyed nature and being outdoors. She adored her trips to the beach in Rhode Island as much as her visits to the farm in Delaware. She was a lover of all animals and caregiver to many – cats, guinea pigs, and dogs, including her beloved Biff, whose name was tattooed over her heart (where it remained hidden from her parents for many years) and Chauncey, her forever loved Boston Bulldog.

Erin was also passionate about painting, drawing, reading, and music, but her greatest loves of all were her twin sons, Bailey and Callum. Together, they were perpetually making art; learning about science, history, and animals; and crabbing or searching for shells and sea glass on the rocks in front of their favorite cottage in Middletown, RI.

In addition to her beloved sons, Bailey and Callum Murray, Erin is survived by her parents, Frank and Juanita O’Neill of Milton, MA; her brother, Michael O’Neill of Sausalito, CA; her aunts and uncles, Jim O’Neill (Sandy), Maura Overlan and Gilbert, James, and Dale (Mary) McBroom, Debby and (Terry) Miller, and Bonnie Webb; her kindred O’Neill cousins across Massachusetts and Rhode Island; her McBroom cousins in Delaware; and many, many friends who were like family.

Visiting hours at Dolan Funeral Home, 460 Granite Avenue, EAST MILTON SQUARE, Wednesday, April 15, 4-7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, April 16, at 10 a.m. at Saint Gregory Church, 2215 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, followed by interment at Milton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Art Department at Woburn Public Schools, 55 Locust Street, Woburn, MA 01801.

This local obituary is published via Legacy.com and Dolan Funeral Home. Want a loved one’s obituary featured on Boston.com? Submit your obituary here, or email it to [email protected].