Dave O'Neal

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David C. O'Neil (1937-) was Lieutenant Governor of Illinois from 1977-1982. For six years he served as Saint Clair County Sheriff, the first Republican to hold that office in twenty years. Lieutenant Governor O'Neil was born January 24, 1937 in Belleville, Illinois. He graduated from Saint Louis College of Pharmacy and is a former ministerial student and United States Marine. Prioir to entering politics O'Neil was a pharmacist and businessman. He served as a member of the executive and economic development committees of the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors and the governing boards of McKendree College in Lebanon, and the Saint Louis College of Phamacy. He is the recipient of the Illinois Wisconsin States Association of Elks Humanitarian of the Year and East Saint Louis Model Cities Program Meritorious Services Award and was named Outstanding Young Republican of the United States in 1975 and Outstanding Young Republican of Illinois in 1971.

In 1977 he received the Distinguished Pharmacist Award from the Illinois Pharmacists' Association. An athlete, his hobbies include sports such as tennis, golf, bowling and motorcycling.

He and his wife Sandra, live in Belleview and the two had two daughters. Lieutenant Governor O'Neil devoted much effort to overseeing the Senior Legislative Forum, a legislative advocacy group he created to aid senior citizens throughout Illinois. He also worked closely with the State's two Senior Action Centers, which provides assistance with the elderly and disabled.

His other responsibilities have included chairmanships of the Governor's Special Commission on State-Mandated Programs, the Technical Advisory Committee on Aging, the Illinois Energy Contingency Council's Subcommittee, the Governor's Jail and Detention Standerds Review Committee, and a committee to investigate administrative and correctional officer conditions at adult correctional centers.

He has also served as vice-chairman of the Governor's Energy Advisory Council, ex-officio member of the Council on Aging, and a member of the Commission on Inter-Governmental Cooperation.

In 1980 O'Neil sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate winning the nomination to go on to the general election. His Democratic Party Democratic opponent was Illinois Secretary of State Alan Dixon. After a tough election battle O'Neil went down to defeat; Dixon defeated O'Neil in a vote of 2,565,302-1,946,296. O'Neil resigned as Lieutenant Governor in 1982, claiming that he was just bored. Today the former Lieutenant Governor resides in Belleview with his wife Sandra.