
A native of Rector, Arkansas, Dr. O’Neal earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Missouri State University. She earned a specialist degree in college teaching from Arkansas State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. Dr. O’Neal did postgraduate work in English at the University of Cambridge in England and Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
In 1995, Dr. O’Neal received the Missouri Governor’s Teaching Award from Governor Mel Carnahan and the Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education. She retired from teaching in 1995.
The Graham and Connie O’Neal Scholarship Fund has been established at Missouri State University. The couple were married for 72 years.


