With deep sadness, Warren County notes the death of Warren County Surrogate Kevin M. O'Neill. Elected in 2010, Mr. O'Neill was in his third term as surrogate at the time of his passing.

During his career as a public servant, Mr. O'Neill brought a sense of professionalism to his office but also great compassion to everyone who came through the door, understanding that most people when they came to his office were experiencing terrible grief.  He personally spoke with nearly every applicant coming to the Surrogate Court, treating them with sympathy and understanding.

Under his leadership, many of the surrogate’s procedures were modernized and computerized and he was able to reorganized the office to reduce staff.  He supervised the move of the Surrogate’s offices from the Warren County Courthouse to its current location on Front Street.

Most of all, he loved engaging with the public. He spoke to civic and church groups on a regular basis to educate them on the importance of communicating their wishes through wills, powers of attorney and advanced directives. He also was a fixture at the Warren County Farmers' Fair in county government's "Warren County and You" building, communicating with the public as to how the Surrogate’s Office could assist them. He performed more than 150 weddings at a time when many public officials no longer were doing weddings.

The Board of County Commissioners will mark Mr. O'Neill's passing with a moment of silence in his honor at the April 27, 2022 meeting. 

Following is his obituary, which also can be found on the Cochrane Funeral Home website. 

Kevin M. O’Neill – consummate family man, Warren County Surrogate, and former Realtor, local businessman and teacher – died peacefully at home, Sunday, April 24, 2022, in Hackettstown, N.J. He was 76.

Kevin was born September 8, 1945, in Bayonne, N.J., and lived in Hackettstown his entire life except for a stint in Germany when he was in the Army. He attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from Hackettstown High School in 1963, where he competed in track, basketball and football. He graduated from Providence College in 1967 with a bachelor’s in English, and took great pride in seeing alma mater advance through the NCAA basketball tournament.

Upon graduating from Providence, O’Neill taught English and coached football and wrestling at West Morris Central High School in Chester. His teaching career was interrupted by two years in the U.S. Army in Europe, where he was a special weapons technician. In 1972, O’Neill left teaching and entered real estate, where he spent the next 38 years. Well known in local real estate circles, he was the recipient of numerous industry awards and sold some 1,200 homes in his career.

In 2010, O’Neill was elected Warren County Surrogate and was serving in his third term at the time of his death. O’Neill was very active in the community, holding leadership positions in the Rotary, the PTA, the Bi-Centennial Celebration, the Chamber of Commerce, the hospital foundation, and others, particularly at Church of the Assumption. He served on two Boards of Education, Hackettstown and Warren Tech. In 2012, he took great pride in being named Grand Marshal for the Hackettstown St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

In 1970, O’Neill married the love of his life, the former Mary Leneé Fiedler of Hackettstown. Together they raised three wonderful children: Jennifer Lynne O’Neill (Alejandro Pieroni) of New Brunswick, January Leneé O’Neill of Hackettstown, and Jared Matthew O’Neill (Robyn) of Hackettstown. Great joy also came with four grandchildren: Anna Mae Bizzozero, Ella Grace Bizzozero, Gustavo Pieroni, and Archer Moon O’Neill.

Kevin was predeceased by his parents Jane P. O’Neill (nee Quinn) and Cornelius J. O’Neill, Jr., and his twin sister Jane Quinn O’Neill. In addition, O’Neill is survived by four siblings: Cornelius J. “Tex” O’Neill Ill (Eleanor), James P. O’Neill (Lynn), Regina K. Judge (her late husband Peter), and Eileen H. Carson (John). There are numerous nieces, nephews and cousins … in particular, Ed Palmer and Dick Burke.

The funeral service will take place Friday, April 29, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hackettstown. Burial will take place at Pequest Union Cemetery, Great Meadows, N.J., following the service. A memorial visitation will be Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice in Kevin’s memory.