Dolores Ann (O’Neill) Poole

Dolores Ann (O’Neill) Poole, 93, died Sunday, March 27, 2022 at Chapman Valley Manor after several months of declining health. She was born August 8, 1928 in Manhattan, KS to Bert Elija and Verona Anna (Thoes) O’Neill. She enjoyed her early years on the family farm on Deep Creek and attended Mineral Springs grade school. Her family later moved to Manhattan where she graduated from high school and took courses at Kansas State University. She, her cousin, and her best friend then struck out and attended an aviation communications school in Nebraska. She worked for United Airlines in Denver, CO for several years.

Dee returned to KS when she married William Davis Poole on October 28, 1948. They farmed on McDowell Creek in Geary County with his parents, Grover and Louisa, and his brother, Grant and his wife Mickey. In her early married life she became a licensed pilot. She was also a school bus driver for many years on McDowell Creek and for Manhattan School District 383. In later years, she and other like-minded “Bullheaded Women” joined forces to protect and enjoy their special part of the Flint Hills. She and Willie made a lifetime trip to Switzerland with his cousins to visit Swiss relatives, and she carried on her mother-in-law’s tradition of baking Swiss bread. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, photography, and her zero-turn lawnmower, which she rode until she was 92. She had a life-long series of cat companions and recently enjoyed her son’s dog, Buddy. She was proud of her farm heritage and instilled a love of the farm in her grandson.

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, and her sister-in-law Miriam Pick Poole. She is survived by her daughter Connie (Thomas Dorst) Poole of Springfield, IL and her son William Neil Poole of the farm, grandson Matthew Clark Poole Dorst (fiancé, Julia Middleton) of Los Angeles, CA, her brother-in-law Grant Poole, nieces Pamela (Cady) Engler and Kathy (James Millikan) Poole and nephew Joseph (Marcie) Poole.

Remains have been cremated. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Geary County Historical Society, 530 North Adams, P. O. Box 1161, Junction City, KS 66441.