Roll Call Tribute

Bernard Joseph O'Neil, III 

February 25, 1944 - June 23, 2022 

Bernard Joseph O’Neil, an employee of various Nashville area hospital companies and consulting firms since 1994, died on June 23, 2022 after a long battle with chronic illness. He came to Nashville to accept a vice president position in the Intensive Resource Division of Quorum Health, an HCA spin off. The division was renamed Cambio Health and ultimately was bought from Quorum by its own employees. In 2005, Cambio was purchased by FTI Consulting, Inc. where O’Neil remained employed through 2021.

Bernard (Bernie) O’Neil was born in 1944 in Boston, MA. He was the first of two children of Bernard (Joe) O’Neil and Mary (Gill) O’Neil. He had one sister, Marie. He attended public schools and graduated from Boston Latin, a classical exam school, in 1961. Latin School was highly regimented and he did well there, graduating seventh in a class of 273. At graduation, he was called to the stage to receive the (Benjamin) Franklin medal which was awarded to the top seven graduates. It was a prestigious award, but Bernie had never heard of it.

He was accepted to and enrolled at Harvard. In 1971, Bernie had earned a master’s degree in city planning from Texas A&M University. 

Bernie’s health began to fail around 1995 with a growing list of problems. Ultimately, he was eligible for disability but stubbornly refused to quit. He was able to continue working for three more decades with immense help and care from Betty and the thoughtful accommodations of his employer.

He is survived by his wife, Betty O’Neil of Brentwood TN, daughter, Erin Rowe of North Haven, CT and her spouse, Josiah Rowe, daughter, Eve Sriharan of Lebanon, NH and her spouse Aravindhan Sriharan, granddaughters Ashlin, Diana, and Verity Rowe, and sister Marie Davidson of Glenview, IL.

Burial will be private. 

Under the direction of Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, Franklin, TN.