Mr. James T. "Jim" O'Neal, 85, of Jackson, died April 24 at Westbury Medical Care Home, Jackson. The son of the late John Rueben O'Neal and the late Marilu Ingram O'Neal, he was born in 1922 in Butts County. Mr. O'Neal was an Army Air Force veteran of World War II. He returned to Butts County and purchased land adjacent to his parents in the Tussahaw community. He operated a commercial egg production facility and a sheep and cattle business. He owned and operated the O'Neal Trailer Park. Mr. O'Neal was a vocational instructor in Newton and Henry counties, retiring in 1984. He was an active member of the Stark United Methodist church where he held many leadership positions. He went on mission trips to Mexico and was passionate about the River of Life Program. He was preceded in death by brothers Lee Roy O'Neal and Edwin O'Neal.

Surviving are wife of 62 years Sarah Snow O'Neal of Jackson; daughters and sons-in-law Peggy and Richard Byrd of Jackson, Patty and Maj. Bill Crooks of Langley Air Force Base, Va.; grandchildren Casey and Cassie Byrd of Fayetteville, Jonathan Crooks of Kalamazoo, Mich;, James Crooks of Langley Air Force Base; brother Billy O'Neal of Jackson; sister-in-law Elizabeth O'Neal of Jackson; nephews and niece Shannon O'Neal and Sean O'Neal of Jackson, Beth and Ed Selby of Naples, Fla.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. May 3 from the Stark United Methodist Church with the Rev. Margaret Knight officiating. Interment will follow in the Stark United Methodist Church Cemetery. Friends may visit the family at the funeral home from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. or from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 2. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Kidney fund, P.O. Box 1837 Merrifield, VA 22116-9743, or to the Stark United Methodist Church, River of Life, 1097 Halls Bridge Road, Jackson, GA 30233.