Laurine “Rene” E. Collins O’Neil died Sept. 1, 2024.
She was born Nov. 13, 1929, in Macon, Georgia, and grew up in Garden City, Long Island. She lived in Rumson for 34 years before moving to Little Silver. She was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Little Silver and a former member of St. George’s by the River, Rumson.
Rene was predeceased by her son J. Scott Collins O’Neil; her sisters, Ann Valerie Collins Van Ulk and M. Naomi Collins Herr; and her parents, Naomi M. Collins and Wilbur Mausby Collins.
Rene was blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren: son Douglas P. O’Neil and his wife Silvia (Uslenghi) O’Neil of Los Fresnos, Texas, and his children Paul and Erin; son Bruce F. O’Neil and his wife Lori Lynn “Cricket” O’Neil of Harrington Park and their children Padraic, Maeve, Finn and Gráinne; and daughter Laurie A. O’Neil Guinan and her husband Michael Guinan of Rumson and their children Michael and Matthew.
Rene’s interest in music dated back to when she was a soloist in many musical productions in high school and college. She studied with Robley Lawson at Carnegie Hall, Felix Molzer and Herb Burtis. She was a soloist in many of the Red Bank area churches. She sang with the Plandome (New York) Choral Society, the Greenwich (Connecticut) Choral Society, the New York Choral Society, the New England Opera Company and the Peninsula Opera Company.
She was an active member of the Shrewsbury Chorale and the Monmouth Civic Chorus since 1986. With the Monmouth Civic Chorus, she performed at the NJ PAC, the Garden State Art Center, Carnegie Hall, St. Thomas’ Church and many international venues. A representative of Princess Margaret invited her to give a benefit concert for the Girl Guides in London, England. She also chaired the benefit concerts for Monmouth Civic Chorus for six years.
She was a member of the Board of Directors of Monmouth Civic Chorus and Cantori New York, both under artistic director Mark Shapiro.
Rene was much beloved for her benefit concerts, which raised funds for Fiske Chapel, Fair Haven, the Stone Church in Navesink and many others.
Rene was a member of St. John’s ECW, a member and secretary of the Seniors of Little Silver, a member of the former Auxiliary for Retarded Citizens, a long-time member of Navarumsunk Auxiliary of Family & Children’s Service, a member of Navesink Country Club since 1965, a member of the DAR and the UDC (United Daughters of the Confederacy), and a member of the Junior League.
Rene founded the Parents of the New Jersey Youth Orchestra at Rumson-Fair Haven High School when the conductor was planning to disband the orchestra.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Monmouth Civic Chorus, P.O. Box 16, Red Bank, NJ 07701 or St John’s Episcopal Church, Little Silver. “Ave Verum Corpus” by Mozart will be performed at the memorial service by members of the Monmouth Civic Chorus.
The article originally appeared in the September 12 – 18, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
