A Devoted Life Together—And a Peaceful Goodbye with Gilchrist

A Childhood Friendship That Grew into a Lifelong Love

Jack “John” O’Neill and Susan O’Neill Santoni’s love story began long before careers, children, or retirement. It began in sixth grade at Immaculate Conception School in Towson, when Jack’s family moved from Hagerstown and settled in Ruxton. “Every girl in class loved him,” Susan recalls. “He was just that kind of guy.”

After graduating from grade school, they went their separate ways—Jack to Loyola High School and Susan to Towson Catholic—but fate reunited them as high school seniors. From that point on, they were inseparable.

Building a Life Together

The pair dated through college—Jack at Johns Hopkins University and Susan at Villa Julie College, now Stevenson University. They married while Jack was still finishing school—a marriage that would last 60 years.

Together, they built a life rooted in family and community. They raised three daughters in Cockeysville, where Jack enjoyed a long and distinguished career at McCormick Spice Company, ultimately serving as Comptroller of the Food Service Division. When he retired, the couple relocated to Fort Myers, Florida, where they embraced their shared love of golf and quiet days in the sun.

A Difficult Diagnosis and a Return Home

In 2015, everything changed. Jack was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment in Tampa. Though his early treatments showed promise, his condition began to worsen in the third year.  “I didn’t know what the next step was,” Susan recalls. “I called a hospice in Florida to see if he was ready. A nurse came out and said, ‘Not yet,’ but offered us a little support at home.”

As Jack’s health continued to deteriorate, he was admitted to a local respite program. “The nurse took one look at him and said, ‘He should have been here long ago,’” Susan remembers. At that moment, Susan knew it was time to bring Jack back to Maryland—and to Gilchrist.

“I had visited friends in Maryland over the years who had Gilchrist care in their homes,” she says. “I saw firsthand how wonderful and compassionate the staff were, how much peace it brought those families. So, when it came time to make that decision for Jack, there was no question in my mind—we were going to Gilchrist. That’s where I wanted him to be.”

A Peaceful Goodbye at Gilchrist

Susan arranged for a private medical jet and flew Jack back to Maryland, where he was admitted to Gilchrist Center Towson. Just three days later, he passed away peacefully. Though the loss was heartbreaking, Susan found deep comfort in knowing Jack’s final days were spent in the hands of people who truly cared.

“Gilchrist gave us peace when we needed it most,” she says. “And I’m forever grateful for that. They gave us exactly what we needed in those last moments—I can’t say enough about the care he received.”

Still Close to Gilchrist—In Heart and in Home

Today, Susan lives just across the street from Gilchrist Center Towson, a constant reminder of the place that brought her and Jack the care and peace they needed. Though she has remarried and found joy in a new chapter, her love for Jack remains as steady as ever.

Jack leaves behind three daughters, five grandchildren, and Susan—all of whom carry forward his legacy of kindness, strength, and devotion. And for Susan, the memory of Gilchrist’s care is a lasting part of that legacy.

To learn more about Gilchrist, visit: https://gilchristcares.org/