William Baldwin O'Neill February 20,1956 - March 31, 2025 On

William Baldwin O'Neill February 20,1956 - March 31, 2025 On Monday, March 31, 2025, Bill O'Neill passed into the waiting arms of our Lord. His family lost a beloved member and New Mexico lost a fierce advocate dedicated to improving the lives of the people of New Mexico. Bill was born in 1956 in Newark, Ohio. He attended Granvile High School in Granville, Ohio, and went on to graduate from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. After graduating from Cornell, Bill spent a number of years traveling the Country, (often by hopping freight trains), supporting himself by working odd jobs, and writing, always writing. Eventually, in 1990, he ended up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There he began his lifetime of public service, with a special emphasis on supporting marginalized people. Initially he began by working at a homeless shelter and the Bernalillo County Jail through an internship with the non-profit Center for Action and Contemplation. Over time his work expanded to working with incarcerated juveniles. Ultimately he became a co-founder of Dismas House, a transitional living program in Albuquerque that is dedicated to helping parolees re-enter the community. In 2005, Governor Bill Richardson appointed Bill Executive Director of the New Mexico Juvenile Parole Board. Seeing the need for governmental help in addressing the problems of the people he worked with, Bill decided to enter politics. It took several tries, but in 2009, he was elected to the House of Representatives to represent the people in House District 15. He served in the House from 2009-2013. In 2013, he was elected to the Senate to represent the people of Senate District 13, which he did through 2024. Bill introduced, co-sponsored, and/or fought for many bills aimed at improving the lives of New Mexicans, with a particular emphasis on juvenile justice issues. Among these were the expansion of arts programs in juvenile justice facilities, the prohibition of life sentences for juveniles, and the creation of the New Mexico School for the Arts, which is a special, state-wide residential public high school. In addition to his many political accomplishments, Bill was also a gifted and published writer. His literary works include two poetry books (The Freedom of the Ignored and The Definition of Empty), two novels (Panoramic Diaries and Short Session), and the play "Save the Bees". He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by his family members and his many, many friends. He is survived by his sister Nancy O'Neill and her spouse Charles Childress of Austin, Texas; brother Henry O'Neill and his spouse Carol Muranaka of Honolulu, Hawaii; brother John O'Neill and his spouse Annette O'Neill of Portland, Oregon; brother Robert O'Neill and his spouse Alexa Robinson of Granville, Ohio; and nieces and nephews Quinn Ryan, Regan, Kerry, Eaton, Cullen, Bryna, Natalie, Molly, Ellen, and Alex O'Neill. There will be a Lying in State and Memorial at the State Capitol open to the public to pay their respects on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 2:00-4:00p.m., New Mexico State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, N.M. with a reception following in the Rotunda. There will also be an Intention Mass for Bill O'Neill on April 24th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 1301O Sage Ave, Santa Fe, N.M. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the Albuquerque Community Foundation, or the charity of your choice.