SUNY Canton Remembers Chloe Ann O’Neil

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Chloe Ann O'NeilSUNY Canton mourns the loss of an ardent and outspoken college supporter.

College Council and College Foundation Board Member Chloe Ann O’Neil died yesterday morning (Thursday, Nov. 15) in a car accident.

“We’ve lost a loyal friend of the college,” said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. “She gave her time freely in so many different ways and she will be missed dearly.”

O'Neil earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SUNY Potsdam and taught at Lowville Central School, Hermon-DeKalb, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton, and as a reading teacher at Parishville-Hopkinton. She was a longtime active member of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) helping to ensure that local students would receive a quality education while advocating for teachers’ rights.

Mrs. O’Neil, 75, served in the state’s 112th Assembly District from 1993 until her retirement in 1998. She surprised many when she ran for, and secured, the Assembly seat held by her late husband John G.A. O’Neil.

O’Neil was an amateur painter and an active patron and supporter of North Country artists and tourism. She earned the title of “Woman of Distinction” from the New York State Senate in 1999 and was inducted into the SUNY Canton Hall of Fame in 2012.

More on Mrs. O’Neil and her noted community service can be found in area news media posts, including the Watertown Daily Times and WWNY TV 7 News websites.

About SUNY Canton

As Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs, SUNY Canton delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, management, and healthcare fields. It is home to the Center for Criminal Justice, Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. As SUNY's leader in online education, SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as 23 online degree programs. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos 15 traditional athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division III level as part of the North Atlantic Conference. SUNY Canton also features varsity esports and cheerleading.