Aug. 11, 2015. Just another dog day of summer for most people, but not for Patrick O’Neill. For the 50-year resident of New Canaan, the day marked 100 years of life.
And what a life.
From pioneer days in Alaska as a child, to vital military man during World War II, to a long career in the mining industry in which he was named to the National Mining Hall of Fame, O’Neill’s legacy includes becoming an outspoken advocate for corporate policies that struck the right balance between profitability, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. He became an industry leader in calling for measures to improve the health, education, training, and safety of employees.
The still razor-sharp O’Neill lives in a lovely town condo with his wife of almost 50 years, Sandra. That’s right… married at 51 and still soon to celebrate 50 years of marriage. As they sit together recalling events in their lives, it’s obvious they are still totally devoted to each other. His career has provided them with a thrilling life of travel and adventure, and she has taken great care of him as his health has had serious challenges lately.
“He just had shingles and pneumonia at the same time,” said Sandra, who met Patrick when she was a flight attendant and he was flying on business. “He’s also broken his back twice, but has come through it all incredibly.”
O’Neill spends most days talking to a variety of family members, friends and corporate leaders, while managing his finances. His sense of humor is terrific, regardless of physical challenges.
“Some days I feel fine, and others I feel pretty ancient,” he says with a chuckle. “It seems like I’m busy all day but don’t get much done.”
A child in pioneer days
O’Neill’s life began during the true pioneer days in Alaska. He was born there in 1915, the seventh of 12 children of Harry and Florence O’Neill. He started working in a gold mine during summer vacation when he was 15. After high school he went to the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines in Fairbanks, Alaska, which in 1935 became the University of Alaska.
He worked his way through college as a laborer in the mines during summer months, and as a janitor in college during winters.
Even at 100 he has distinct memories of his childhood, especially ones either dramatic or funny.
“One day when my mother was giving birth to another child, and I was seven years old I fell off a raft and almost drowned,” he said “A couple of guys realized I was in trouble, pulled me out, rolled me over a barrel and got the water out of me.”
Sandra next tell him to tell the ‘goat’ story, and Patrick obliges.
“We had a little goat that would get loose, go around the neighborhood and leave its calling card in whatever door was open,” he said. “One day he got down in our cellar. We had a lot of canned goods, and he ate the paper labels off all of them. So for months my mother never knew if she was opening a can of peas, or peaches or tomatoes.”
O’Neill received Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Mining Engineering degrees in 1941, an Engineer of Mines degree in 1953 and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1976. He was named a distinguished alumnus in 1971 and received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 1982.
Vital World War II figure
In 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, receiving his ‘wings’ in August of 1942. He held various positions as flight instructor, engineering officer, maintenance officer, operations officer and engineering test pilot. O’Neill attended the Army Command and General Staff school. During the war he was boss to 5,000 mechanics at a base in Amarillo, Tex. Planes were needed to be built as quickly as possible to get them to Europe for bombing missions, so there was no kidding around.
“One day I was walking around the corner of a hangar there,” recalled O’Neill. “Two guys working for me were talking. I stopped. I could hear them. One said, ‘I’d like to be a major in that man’s army for about 15 minutes.’ He meant me. The other guy said ‘What for?’ He said ‘I’d eat the butt out of that captain.’ The other guy said, ‘You couldn’t sink your teeth into that iron butt!’ ”
“He was tough, he was tough,” said Sandra.
“You had to be tough,” countered Patrick. During the last two years of the war O’Neill flew daily, testing the planes just built. He left the military in 1946 as a major.
O’Neill returned to Fairbanks after the war as an exploration engineer, then dredge engineer, then dredge superintendent for the United States Smelting Refining and Mining Co.
In 1953 he went to Colombia as chief engineer for South American Gold and Platinum Co., which would become International Mining Corp. A year later he was transferred to headquarters in New York, in charge of operations as vice president.
Under his watch the company developed a mine in Bolivia, and acquired major interests in mining companies in Mexico, Canada, Turkey and the U.S. Elected president of International Mining in 1970, he was also ultimately president or chairman of eight affiliated companies and on the boards of several major mining companies.
When International Mining was taken over in 1977, he joined Rosario Corp. in charge of mining operations in Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Rosario was taken over by AMAX and he continued with the same duties until retiring in 1981, opening a consulting office.
Life in New Canaan
The O’Neills married 49 years ago, have two children, Erin and Kevin, and five grandchildren. Patrick wrote his autobiography, From Snowshoes to Wingtips, in 2007, which was published by University of Alaska Press.
They raised their family in New Canaan and have enjoyed living here for the most part. Sandra, who states opinions clearly, said the town has changed a lot, and not for the better.
“It was very charming early on, with a lot less people,” she said. “Now families are coming in with a lot of children, a lot of unruly children, I must say. And big houses. The town has lost something. It’s not quite as country and charming as it used to be.”
“The house we built here, everybody thought that was quite a mansion,” added Patrick. “Now it looks like the gatehouse.”
“They’ve torn down all these little houses and put these great big ones up,” continued Sandra. “We lived through the oil crunch, when you had to wait for hours on line to get gasoline, and weren’t sure you were going to get enough oil to heat your house. They called the big houses white elephants. People couldn’t get rid of them, nobody would buy them. Now it’s like, what happened? All these huge houses.”
Sandra lamented the loss of family-owned businesses in New Canaan
“It used to be we’d walk down Elm Street and know every single person on the sidewalk,” she said. “Now we don’t know anyone. Downtown before didn’t have Ralph Lauren, didn’t have Dunkin Donuts, all these chains. We didn’t have chains. It was family mom and pop stores. They were charming, and they knew you. Rents have gone up higher and higher and higher, and chased people out. I think it’s really pathetic in a way.”
While staying active and enjoying family and friends has been a blessing for Patrick, he admitted that living so long meant losing a lot of people.
“I had 11 brothers and sisters but none are living,” he said. “But it’s been a very interesting life, and I’ve enjoyed it all.”
The post Town’s acclaimed major miner, WW II vet and workplace rights activist hits 100 appeared first on New Canaan Advertiser.