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Congressional Daily Record
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May 19, 2026
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Extensions of Remarks
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Download official Extensions PDFReturn to issue contextHONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF NATALIE “NIKKI” (DAMON) O'NEILL
HON. JOE COURTNEY
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to mourn the passing of a lifelong public servant, Mrs. Natalie “Nikki” (Damon) O'Neill. Mrs. O'Neill passed away on Monday, May 18, 2026, at age 90, surrounded by her close friends. She will be sincerely missed and long remembered for her humility, down-to-earth demeanor, decades of service as an elementary school teacher, and commitment as First Lady to former Governor of Connecticut William O'Neill.
Born in Leominster, Massachusetts to Alice and George Damon, Mrs. O'Neill was raised alongside her brother, George, Jr., and graduated from Leominster High School in 1954. She pursued higher education, graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science, and continuing graduate studies at Worcester State Teacher's College, Boston University, University of Hanford, and the University of Connecticut. She met her husband, Korean War Air Force Veteran William “Bill” O'Neill, at a party in East Hampton. They married on December 1, 1962, in her hometown.
Mrs. O'Neill dedicated herself to public service, beginning her teaching career in Ashby, Massachusetts and East Hartford, Connecticut for two additional years. She continued her passion for teaching schoolchildren as a fifth-grade teacher at East Hampton Center School for 21 years. Over the years, East Hampton became their hometown. Her beloved husband, William, served as a state representative in 1966 and later became lieutenant governor to Governor Ella T. Grasso. When Governor Grasso resigned due to ill health, Bill took over to finish out her term and Nikki wholeheartedly committed herself to serve as First Lady alongside him. Although she left her years of formal teaching behind, in this new role she visited schools across the state, encouraging children to read, and attended career days, school plays, and concerts.
marked by her consistent leadership in civic, cultural, and charitable efforts. She served on the advisory board of the Special Olympics and the Connecticut College Children's Cancer Fund, among her many other positions of leadership. She also utilized the Executive residence to patron the arts, displaying over 500 books authored by 200 Connecticut writers, displaying local artists' works, and allowing 118 charities and organizations to host events in her home.
Mrs. O'Neill's role in the success of her husband's tenure as Governor of Connecticut was irreplaceable. She believed in true loyalty and gave her full allegiance to her husband throughout and beyond his career as Governor. Her work and dedication allowed Governor O'Neill to flourish in his role. O'Neill's ten years of service as governor were characterized by protecting and expanding the rights of his constituents; he made indelible impact on the towns comprising the 2nd Congressional District. He provided additional resources for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, began the Governor's Care and Share program which involved state employees in collecting food during the holidays for those in need, and advocated for the Veteran's cemetery in Middletown. Additionally, he championed investments in Connecticut infrastructure, securing a 10-year, $5.5 billion plan to upgrade Connecticut roads and bridges. He never forgot teachers, like his wife, and oversaw the passing of the Educational Enhancement Act, raising teacher salaries and educational standards in the state. That generational uplift of Connecticut's teaching profession has paid massive dividends over the forty years, as Connecticut school children consistently rank in the highest echelon in national reading and mathematics test scores. Governor O'Neill's administration also created one of the first, pioneering prescription drug programs in the country called ConnPACE, that provided lifesaving medicines to seniors at a time when Medicare did not cover outpatient prescription drug coverage. I had the honor of being a newly elected state representative in 1989 when that groundbreaking measure passed.
After a decade in the governor's residence, Mrs. O'Neill and her husband moved back to their home in East Hampton. Governor O'Neill passed in 2007 and was buried with military honors at the Veterans Center in Middletown. Mrs. O'Neill always said she relied on her many friends to make life worth living.
Mr. Speaker, Mrs. O'Neill's loss is felt by her friends and colleagues across Connecticut and beyond. Her sharp intelligence, humility, wit, and thoughtfulness will be deeply missed by all those who she impacted through her service. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Nikki's life and legacy.