Memorial Services for Sister Kay O’Neil

Sister Kathryn “Kay” O’Neil, age 87, Sister of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, died April 2, 2025, at the Avera Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls, SD. Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at the Halladay-Peterson Chapel at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls. A Liturgical Wake Service will be held at 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 14, 2025, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls. Visitations will be held one half hour prior to both services. Inurnment will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Aberdeen, SD on a later date. Wake service will be live streamed at www.georgeboom.com.      

Kathryn Frances O’Neil was born on November 15, 1937, to Catherine (Carpenter) and Frank O’Neil in Clark, SD. She graduated from Clark High School, entered Presentation Convent and professed vows on August 10, 1961. Sister Kay stated, “I am called to live life to the fullest following the Gospel mandate to love God, neighbor and self!”

Sister Kay earned an A.D. from Presentation College, Aberdeen, SD; a B.S. in Business Administration from Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI; an M.S. in Library Science from Dominican University, River Forest, IL, an M.A. in Counseling from Catholic University, Washington, DC and an M.S. of Theological Studies from Weston School of Theology, Boston, MA. She taught business classes at Presentation College and St. Mary’s High School in Dell Rapids, SD, served as head librarian at Presentation College, and was a campus minister at Southwest State University, Marshall, MN.

In 1970, she became the first female chaplain at the ecumenical Campus Religious Center at Southwest State University. She cofounded the New Ulm Diocesan Task Force on Women in Ministry in 1976 with Sister Michelle Meyers and others. Sister Kay served as an educator, speaker, counselor, campus minister, retreat director and witness of the Gospel. She published numerous articles on justice and women’s issues, including communication, self-esteem, peacemaking, women’s studies and spirituality.

Sister Kay was a founding member and chair for the Presentation Sisters’ Social Justice Team and initiated Pax Christi chapters in South Dakota. She received the Diocesan Distinguished Service Award (Diocese of New Ulm), Outstanding Faculty Award (St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis, MN), Artisan of Peace Award from Pax Christi USA and was a Bush Foundation Leadership Finalist. Sister Kay was quoted as saying, “I ask our God to bless everyone, no exceptions.”

An Irish woman through and through, Sister Kay celebrated her heritage proudly, wearing green year-round, and she enjoyed traveling to Ireland. A long-time resident of LeSueur, MN, before retiring to Sioux Falls, Sister Kay enjoyed telling stories over a cup of coffee and See’s candies.

Sister Kay is survived by her family of Presentation Sisters, her brother, Michael (Mick) and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings: Frank and Margaret Chochrane; sisters-in-law: Joann (Frank) and Star (Mick) and brother-in-law: Max Chochrane.

Sister Kay thanks the Dow Rummel and the Avera Hospice team for their compassionate care.

Memorials are welcome to Pax Christi or other organizations for peace.

Sister Kay

Scriptural Wake Service
Monday, April 14, 2025 ~ 5:30pm
(visitation beginning at 5:00 pm)
George Boom Funeral Home
3408 E 10th St
Sioux Falls, SD

(CLICK HERE FOR WAKE SERVICE LIVESTREAM LINK)

Memorial Mass
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
10:30 am
(visitation beginning at 10:00 am)
Halladay-Peterson Chapel
Dow Rummel Village
1321 W. Dow Rummel St
Sioux Falls, SD