Ronald Rex O'Neal

Mr. Ronald “Rex” O’Neal, 86, of Mount Airy, passed away Friday morning, December 22, 2023, at the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson.  He was born November 1, 1937, in Surry County, to the late Claude Columbus and Dora Blanche Key O’Neal.  Mr. O’Neal retired from Spencer’s Inc. as the CFO after many years of service.  Papa was a devoted husband, daddy, papa, and brother, who dearly loved his family and was always wanting to spend as much time as possible with them.  Rex was voted most athletic of his class of 1955 at Franklin High School.  After high school, he attended Guilford College and played baseball for them and was looked at by the St. Louis Cardinals professional baseball team.  While attending college, he and a friend came to Mount Airy and went to a dance at the YMCA where he met the love of his life, Nancy.  He mustered up the nerve to ask her out for a date, and she said yes!  The first date was church on Sunday night at Franklin Heights United Methodist Church.  While attending Franklin Heights, Rex was a lay leader, choir member, and a member of the MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship).  He also sang in a quartet called The Highlighters.  With his love of athletics, he became a referee of high school basketball and football in Mount Airy and SW Virginia areas.  He loved anything Carolina Tar Heels, especially basketball.  Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 65 years, Nancy Jane Bondurant O’Neal of the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Tami and Joel Snodgrass and Terri and Jim Collins; six grandchildren whom he adored, Tyler and Tabitha Snodgrass, Colby and Caroline Snodgrass, Reily Snodgrass, Mackenzie Collins, Brady Collins, and Hunter Collins; two perfect great-grandchildren, Corbin Snodgrass and Layla Snodgrass; two sisters, Mary Ann Combs and her husband Jerry, and Nancy Bunker; a brother-in-law, Jim Bondurant; two sisters-in-law, Marian O’Neal and Eunice O’Neal; and several other family and friends.  In addition to his parents, Mr. O’Neal was preceded in death by two brothers, Steve O’Neal, and Gary O’Neal; and a brother-in-law, Wade Chang Bunker.  A floating memorial gathering of family and friends will be held Wednesday December 27, 2023, from 2:00 until 4:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy.  The family would like to say thank you to Brian Greene for all the friendship and caring that he gave Rex during his time of need.  Also, thank you to the staff of RidgeCrest Retirement for everything they have done.  Memorial donations may be given to the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home, 945 Zephyr Road, Dobson, NC  27017.