William D. O'Neill, a retired Department of Energy accountant, died of a heart ailment Feb. 26 at Charlestown Retirement Community. He was 93.
Born and raised in Cumberland, he joined the Army in 1940 and served in World War II. He was stationed in North Africa and fought through Sicily and mainland Italy. Family members said a transport boat on which he was a passenger was sunk and he was forced to swim ashore. He later landed at Corsica, family said.
After the war, he earned an accounting degree at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he also earned a master's degree. He moved to Baltimore -- and relocated to Catonsville -- and worked for the Internal Revenue Service and later for the Department of Energy. He was part of a group whose members investigated the 1970s oil shortages.
In the late 1950s, he became involved in the civil rights movement and attended meetings to support open housing and public-accommodation laws.
Mr. O'Neill enjoyed bridge, pitch and poker. He was a member of the Catonsville Knights of Columbus and the Retired Government Workers, serving for a time as an area president.
Mr. O'Neill donated his body to the Anatomy Board.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. March 24 at Charlestown Retirement Community's chapel.
Survivors include a son, Dennis O'Neill of Florence, Italy; and two grandchildren. His wife of more than 60 years, the former Margaret Leasure, died in 2006.
