Thomas Lee O'Neill

Thomas Lee O’Neill, 61 years old, of Gonzales Texas, passed away on October 15, 2023, at St. David’s Hospital in Austin surrounded by love from his wife, family, and friends.

Thomas was the fifth of six children born to Patrick Ney and Bennie Jean Schladoer O’Neill. He was born on July 31, 1962 in San Antonio, Texas, where he lived until the family moved to Amarillo in the summer of 1968. Thomas completed his education in Amarillo at Alamo Catholic High School (Class of 1980) and Amarillo College.

He relocated to San Francisco in October of 1989 to further his career with Stewart Title Company, arriving just in time for the Loma Prieta earthquake. Later in life, Thomas enjoyed working in the IT industry and held various positions in the California Bay Area, Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas where he finished his career in 2021 at Rackspace Technology.

Thomas met his first wife, Mari Forbes, in California and the two had a child May 31, 1998.  After their divorce, Thomas relocated back to Texas in early 2000’s. 

Thomas met the love of his life, Annie Mae Gwin, in 2009 and they were married on October 30, 2010, in the Texas Hill Country.  During their 13-year marriage, they traveled extensively and enjoyed exploring the history of small towns and villages across the globe.  His favorite trip was in June of 2023 when he was able to explore the countries of Turkey and Greece. He also loved visiting Ireland, Southern Spain, and Italy.

People have described Thomas as friendly and outgoing with a quick wit and a dry sense of humor. He was thoughtful and generous and was always willing to give back when he could. Over the years, he developed friendships with people from all walks of life. As long as Annie was with him, Thomas enjoyed doing pretty much anything. Together they enjoyed live music events, particularly Red Dirt Americana music. Thomas also enjoyed cooking and computer gaming.

Thomas was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Annie of 13 years, and his daughter Sarah. Surviving siblings include: James Patrick and his wife Deniese, Ben Earl and his wife Maria, Robert Michael and his wife Maria, Richard Marvin and his wife Loraina, and Jean Marie and her husband Jim. Many nieces, nephews, and close friends include his lifelong best friend, Arch Hooks.

For those who prefer a charitable donation in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Gonzales Paws and Whiskers by calling (830) 263-0066.