On Monday, Mar. 6, the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office announced the passing of Norman O’Neil, an Endwell man who drowned in an accident at Alexander Pond in Newark Valley. O’Neil fell through the ice while ice fishing on March 3, leading to his untimely death.
Those who worked closely with O’Neil remembered him as one of the most caring and selfless men they had ever met. Daniel Guilfoyle, a longtime colleague and friend of O’Neil, said that he served as a New York State Police Trooper and worked at the Binghamton Federal Courthouse as a court security officer for the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
Guilfoyle added that O’Neil was the type of person who would do anything to help someone in their time of need. “Norm was probably one of the nicest people you would ever meet, one of the most decent human beings you’ll ever meet. I don’t think you can find anybody that would say a bad word about Norm. He was the type of person that would treat every person like a gentleman or a lady no matter how they were treating him. I don’t think I’ve ever really seen him get upset,” said Guilfoyle.
O’Neil was a family man who cared deeply for his wife and kids. His passing is a great loss for everyone in the community, said Guilfoyle. “We’re still wrapping our heads around this. How can you know a person as well-liked and decent as him be taken away from us so suddenly and tragically?” he added.
A funeral mass for O’Neil will be held on Saturday, March 10, at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Holy Family on 3600 Phyllis St. in Endwell. The community is invited to attend to pay their respects and remember the selfless man who touched many lives.
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