Brian O'Neill (September 17, 1941 – May 13, 2009) Rogers 2009 was the superintendent of the

Golden Gate National Recreation Area The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is a U.S. National Recreation Area protecting of ecologically and historically significant landscapes surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. Much of the park is land formerly used by the United ...

from 1986 until his death in 2009. He has been described as the most important of the superintendents of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Early life

O'Neill was born in

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

on September 17, 1941. He gained an appreciation for the wilderness from his family who would often take him camping when he was young. While in high school O'Neill and his twin brother Alan, along with their mother, founded a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

to take urban children on trips to

national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...

s. O'Neill attended and graduated from the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...

with a degree in

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

Park related work

O'Neill joined the

U.S. Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and ...

in 1964. He later joined the Urban Studies Branch of the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation where he helped plan various parks. In 1973 he moved to

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

after taking a job with the U.S. Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (HCRS). O'Neill moved to

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

in 1979 as part of his job as the assistant regional director with HCRS. O'Neill was instrumental in making the Phleger Estate and open to the public by insuring federal funding for the purchase of the land.

Work with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

O'Neill served on the planning commission for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), and it was his presentation at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

President Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...

that convinced the President to endorse the concept of a park in San Francisco. In 1981 O'Neill was named assistant superintendent with the GGNRA, and was promoted to superintendent in 1986. As superintendent O'Neill oversaw the completion of the Cavallo Point conference center, as well as the renovation of

The Marine Mammal Center The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC) is a private, non-profit U.S. organization that was established in 1975 for the purpose of rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing marine mammals who are injured, ill or abandoned. It was founded in Sausalito, Califo ...

. He is credited with making

Alcatraz Alcatraz Island () is a small island in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military pris ...

a world-class tourist destination, as well as being the driving forced behind getting

Crissy Field Crissy Field is a public recreation area on the northern shore of the San Francisco Peninsula in California, United States, located just east of the Golden Gate Bridge. It includes restored tidal marsh and beaches. Crissy Field is a former Un ...

incorporated into the GGNRA and its later renovation. Under his tenure as superintendent Mori Point was incorporated into the GGNRA. O'Neill work with

Tom Lantos Thomas Peter Lantos (born Tamás Péter Lantos; February 1, 1928 – February 11, 2008) was a Holocaust survivor and American politician who served as a U.S. representative from California from 1981 until his death in 2008. A member of the Democr ...

to purchase

Rancho Corral de Tierra Rancho Corral de Tierra (Guerrero y Palomares) was a Mexican land grant in present-day coastal western San Mateo County, northern California. The larger northern part of Rancho Corral de Tierra was given in 1839 by Governor Pro-Tem Manuel Jimeno ...

and incorporate it into the GGNRA.

Later life

O'Neill had heart valve replacement surgery at the

California Pacific Medical Center Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) is a general medical/surgical and teaching hospital in San Francisco, California. It was created by a merger of some of the city's longest established hospitals and currently operates three ac ...

. While recovering he developed an infection, and died after suffering a series of

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

s. He is survived by his wife and two adult children.

Footnotes

* Other sources say he was born in 1942, but give no day or month.

References

Bibliography

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External links

Brian O'Neill, Golden Gate National Recreation Area Superintendent, Dies Following Heart Surgery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Brian University of Maryland, College Park alumni Golden Gate National Recreation Area 1941 births 2009 deaths