Rita Martha (Grayson) O'Neal

Rita Martha O’Neal, 77, of North Vernon passed away on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.

Born December 21, 1943, in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was the daughter of Bill Grayson and Irene (McDaniel) Grayson. She married Michael William O’Neal on December 19, 1962 in Columbus; he survives.

Rita was a 1962 graduate of Columbus North High School and worked as the manager for the pet departments at Wal-Mart in Columbus for 13 years and had previously worked at Animal World in Columbus for 13 years. She enjoyed pets, art, outdoor sports, plants, painting and crafts.

Surviving with her husband, Michael are sons, Troy Wayne (Claire) O’Neal of Elizabethtown and Ryan Keith O’Neal of Azalia; daughter, Wendy Gail Buchanan of Edinburgh; brother, James McDaniel of Aiken, South Carolina; sister, Rose Mary Barron of Atlanta, Georgia; grandchildren, Kirsten O’Neal and Keona Knox, both of Columbus, Jeremy O’Neal of Chicago, Illinois, Josh Buchanan of Edinburgh, and Ryan Keith O’Neal II of Azalia; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, John McDaniel.

A funeral service for Rita will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 20, 2021, at the Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home and Cremation Service in North Vernon. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday , February 17, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Burial will follow in the Butlerville Cemetery in Butlerville.

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