Anita O'Neil has departed from this life, leaving an enormous hole in the worlds of those who loved her.

Born to parents who instilled a life-long pride of her French heritage (and Quebec), Anita was the youngest of three sisters, joining Nancy and Denise in the family of Phillip and Exilia LeClair. As had her sisters, she received an undergraduate degree from St. Joseph's College, where she edited and was a star contributor to the school's poetry magazine.

Although graduate studies were not a usual next step for young women in the 1950s, spurred by her determination to "save the world," Anita enrolled at Boston University to pursue a masters degree in social work.

While at BU, she met William J. O'Neil, a man her mother thought would be a perfect husband – Irish and a teacher! Anita and Bill were wed in 1961, and enjoyed a 50+ year marriage rich with song (they shared a love for classical music), dogs, and humor.

Ah, humor. Anyone who spent time with Anita will remember her laughter; she was quick to point out irony wherever she encountered it, and was even more apt to poke fun at herself. Phrases like "I'm never so wrong as when I'm sure I'm right" were a feature of Anita's vocabulary that were familiar to friends and family alike.

Anita loved her social work at the Framingham Courthouse, in the Natick School system, where she worked for many years as part of a team assessing incoming students and their families, and in her private practice.  But she always had time for family, a wide and cherished circle of friends, and her community, which she served for many years as a member of Framingham Town Council. With "the guys," a succession of Bernese Mountain Dogs that she was proud to raise, Anita spent thousands of hours tromping through Callaghan State Park and along the shores of Learned's Pond. Convinced that her dogs enjoyed extended routines, she took them for afternoon rides, followed (of course) by treats and time shared in the home on Warren Road that she resided in for more than five decades.

Anita is loved and cherished and will be missed by friends from work, from Town Council, from dog walking, and from the "Friday program," which helped her cope with husband Buddy's dementia prior to his death six years ago. She will forever be in the hearts of her family: she is survived by her sister Denise, her son Kevin, who with wife Nancy, was a mainstay of love and support throughout Anita's life; her son Michael his wife Mary, who were pleased to show their love on visits to island cottages in Canada; Michael and Mary's children William, Esme and caring grand daughter Bridget, who recently helped her grandma with a last trip north; little Nava Rain, Anita's great-granddaughter; her daughter Nancy and Nancy's son Trevor; and many nieces and nephews, including the Mazzerellas, Andy, John and Paul; the Bells, Bill and Carolyn (who shared Anita's love of Berners);  and the Smiths, Sarah and Jane (who had a close and lifelong relationship with Anita dating back to her childhood in Connecticut).

Visiting hours will be held Thursday Aug. 26th from 4:00 - 7:00 PM in the Matarese Funeral Home, 325 Main St. Ashland, MA.  The funeral service will be private.

These minutes we call precious

Are just minutes after all

What is really precious

Is the lifetimes of layers underneath the call

Michael O'Neil

Donations in Anita's name may be made to her favorite Bernese Mountain Dog charities: Berner, Inc. P.O. Box 202 South Berwick, ME 03908  bernerinc.org and The Berner-Garde Foundation 1922 Cherry Lane Johnstown, CO 80534 bernergarde.org