Shirley H (Hedler) ONeal
Shirley H. (Hedler) ONeal, of Boise, Idaho moved on to the Lord’s home on Friday, December 8, 2023. She was a valiant kidney dialysis warrior for 22 years.
Born on April 19, 1953, in Rock Sound, Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, Shirley was the first of five sisters born to Paul A, and Maud Hedler. Paul was a career U.S. Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer and met Maud while stationed in the Bahamas. Shirley and Steve married on July 19, 1980 in Moscow, Idaho. They had two children (both boys).
Both Paul and Maud preceded Shirley in death. She is survived by her husband, Steven M. ONeal, Sons Benjamin W. ONeal (Alisa ONeal), and Kelly C. ONeal (Stephanie ONeal), Sisters Karen, Denise, Paula, and Linda, and their respective families. Shirley was a Grandmother (Nana) to seven Grandchildren, and one Great Grandchild.
Shirley was extensively well traveled thanks to her dad’s Air Force Career. She attended grade school in Japan, junior high school in Thailand, and is a 1971 graduate of Moscow High School, Moscow, Idaho. Shirley became the first of her family to graduate from college, attending the University of Idaho in Moscow. She graduated with a BA in Radio/TV Communication in 1977. Additionally, she was a member of Army ROTC, and was Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in The United States Army.
She held a variety of occupations in her life, with her first post college position at the State of Idaho’s Department of Labor in Moscow. It was there that she met the man with whom she would spend the rest of her life, Steven M. “Steve” O’Neal, on December 12, 1977.
She moved around with Steve who also worked as a state employee in a variety of Idaho cities including Blackfoot, Salmon, Caldwell, and finally Boise. During that period, Shirley worked at the Idaho Departments of Labor and Health and Welfare. Her last position was that of an Unemployment Insurance Claims Examiner. She retired in 2001 due to medical reasons.
In 2001, a rare auto immune disorder attacked Shirley’s organs, resulting in total kidney failure. She began regular hemodialysis treatments three times weekly shortly thereafter, until her passing.
In the 22 years that Shirley was a dialysis patient, she received treatments at the DaVita Kidney Care Center, in Boise. During that time, she proved herself to be the warrior she was, advocating for quality medical services for all kidney dialysis patients.
Shirley’s religious roots ran deep. Her Christian faith started as a young teen, with her baptism in the Baptist Church. She also regularly attended the Church of the Nazarene in Moscow. When Shirley and Steve moved to the Boise area in 1983, they began attending Amity United Methodist Church, and then The Church of the Warm Heart, the Meridian United Methodist Church in Meridian. For a time, she also attended the Southminster Presbyterian Church in Boise. In both, she served as a Lay Minister. Shirley had a deep and abiding love of music and was active in choir and praise band; she truly loved to make a joyful noise to the Lord. Towards the end of her life, she participated in church services via on-line connections.
Shirley’s favorite place in the world was attending Choir Camps at the Wallowa United Methodist Church Camp in Wallowa Lake, Oregon. A year prior to her passing, she and Steve attended the 100 th Anniversary of the camp.
She also indulged Steve’s interests; and the two made numerous trips to meet their close friends, Dan and Cheryl Baldwin of Blackfoot. Most often, in Jackpot, Nevada.
Shirley was tenacious in everything she did. In giving her all in the love and raising of her children and being a positive force for others by advocating for and being a true friend. Through it all, even managing to keep Steve on course during 43 years of marriage.
Shirley is no longer of this earth, and there is new star in the Heavens, shining down on us all.
In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to United Methodist Church Missions https://umcmission.org/
A celebration of life for Shirley will be held at 1:00 pm, on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at the Meridian United Methodist Church, 246 E. Idaho Ave. in Meridian.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.