Virginia O'Neill

Virginia “Ginny” O’Neill
1941 – 2025

Virginia “Ginny” O’Neill, born in 1941, passed away on December 17, 2025, at the age of 84. Born and raised in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, she lived most of her life in Sauganash, on the north side of Chicago, before moving to Littleton, Colorado, in 2013.

Ginny was the daughter of George and Sallie Pagels. Following the passing of her longtime partner, Jim Curran, in 2010, she relocated to Colorado to be nearer to family.

She graduated from the University of Illinois in 1962, cum laude, and earned her Master’s Degree in geography from the University of Cincinnati in 1964. While at the University of Illinois, Ginny served as editor-in-chief of the Illio, the University yearbook, was a member of Mortarboard, and was a proud, lifelong member of Alpha Delta Pi, Sigma Chapter.

Ginny spent her professional career as an editor, first with World Book Encyclopedia and later as a Managing Editor at Rand McNally. She took pride in clear, accurate communication and in supporting educational work that reached generations of readers.

Ginny traveled widely and had a special love for Egypt. She and Jim especially enjoyed traveling to Florida, and after his death, Ginny continued to spend her winters in Cape Coral. She followed NASCAR racing and was devoted to her rescue cats, which were an important part of her daily life. She enjoyed her garden and nurtured her bonsai collection for decades. She was devoted to extended family, always making time to join family events for nieces and nephews. 

Ginny also maintained a strong connection to Chicago’s cultural institutions. Although she admitted she herself could not carry a tune, she was a lifelong supporter of music, with a particular love of opera and was a longtime member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She was a member of the Founders Council of the Field Museum and a supporter of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. Ginny remained a member of her church in Chicago, Edgebrook Lutheran Church, until her death. 

Ginny is survived by her sister, Sallie P. Wolf, and her partner, Weston Johnson, of Littleton, Colorado; and her brother, George Pagels III, and his wife, Suzanne of Kansas City, Missouri. She was a beloved aunt to Sharon Newton of Oak Park, Illinois; Amy Wolf of Lawrence, Kansas; Jesse Pagels of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (who preceded her in death); Rebecca Pagels of Urbana, Illinois; and Deborah Pagels of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Ginny will be remembered for her intelligence, independence, wide-ranging interests, international travel, and lifelong commitment to learning, culture, and animals.

A memorial service will be held in the spring in Chicago, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ginny’s memory to the following organizations she supported:

• Fried’s Cat Shelter, Michigan City, Indiana
https://www.friedscatshelter.org

• Humane Colorado, Denver, Colorado
https://donate.humanecolorado.org/campaign/700718/donate

• Randell Research Center, Pineland, Florida
https://giving.ufl.edu/campaigns/62638/donations/new?designation=F007073

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Virginia O'Neill, please visit our floral store.