Leroy is O'Neal of the Week

"I was born in the house where Jackie Willis lives now," said Leroy. His parents were Margaret Bell (Styron) and William Arthur O'Neal. William Arthur captained a geodetic survey boat and tugs on and around the Delaware River. Leroy was raised part of the time on Ocracoke, and part of the time in Delaware.

At 16, Leroy went to work on an Army Corps of Engineers ship. Billy Scarborough was the captain, and Charlie Morris O'Neal, who Leroy said could have been a stand up comic, was a shipmate. There were two or three guys from Hatteras on board as well.

He had several careers, working for the Delaware State Police, as a Director of Policy with the AFL-CIO, and as the Director of Industrial Affairs with the Labor Division.  Leroy was in the Air Force, and has been a bricklayer, an iron worker, and a crane operator. 

A "die hard Democrat," Leroy chaired the Democratic committee that "paved the way for Biden to run for Senate," and still considers the Vice President a friend.

Leroy's beloved wife of 59 years, Irene, died several years ago.  They have two daughters, Kathi and Sharon, and several grandchildren.  Leroy owns a home on Ocracoke and makes it down at least once a year. 

Ocracoke Current:  Tell me about your wife.  How did you meet?  How did you stay married so long?

Leroy:  God, I miss her.  I called her Reenie.  I used to box, and was coming home from training.  She was on the bus with her girlfriend.  I started meeting her at dances.  We loved dancing.  I was 20 years old and six feet tall.  (laughing)  She said I was built like a damn Greek god.  I don't think the good Lord ever put a better girl on the earth.  She had to put up with me.  Now and then I'd get in a fight. 

She was a strong believer that you help if there's someone in need.  She shared money;  I didn't care.  I got my bills paid.

For 15 years, (after Irene was partially paralyzed) where she went I went.  It made us even closer.  We had to depend on each other.  One time we both ended up on the floor and couldn't get up.  We laughed like hell.  She was quite a gal.  She reminded me of my grandmom, Miss Lizzie Roberts.

Ocracoke Current:  Your father was part of the generation that left Ocracoke to find work. 

Leroy:  Almost half of Ocracoke lived up here at one time or another.  One thing about Ocockers:  they took care of other Ocockers.  We'd say, "Here comes another one with one of those 'please don't rain' suitcases."  The suitcases were made of cardboard and tied up with string.  You knew they were going to stay with you. 

Ocracoke Current:  What was it like on Ocracoke when you were growing up?

Leroy:  One of my proudest things is that I'm from Ocracoke Island.  My mother and father both talked with that accent.  I would start talking the same way after a month on Ocracoke.

Lots of people had chickens and gardens.  It's what people should do.  Everybody had a dough board covered with cloth.  You squeezed off a piece, flattened it and fried it.  Then you'd eat it with black strap molasses and a cup of Louisiana coffee, which was half coffee and half chicory.

You would walk down the road and people on the porch would say, "Hey, whose boy are you?" `

Ocracoke Current:  You've seen a lot of changes.

Leroy:  Ocracoke used to look like time had passed it by.  Change is inevitable, but I don't like the way it has changed so quick.  I remember Ocracoke before roads and everything.  My house is where Summer Spencer's garden used to be.

Ocracoke Current:  What time of year do you like on Ocracoke?

Leroy:  I always liked the 4th of July.  There were guys working all over the world.  It gave everybody a date to get home.  The old timers tried to get home for pony penning time.

Ocracoke Current:  Do you have any hidden talents?

Leroy:  I used to sing a lot with minstrel shows.  I was in the drum corps.  I liked that.  I still go see competitions even today if I can get there. 

Ocracoke Current: You've had several careers and been politically active. 

Leroy:  I always look at something and say, "If they can do it, I can do it."  Education and intelligence are not synonymous.  Some of the smartest people I know didn't have degrees.

Greed is eating up and changing the whole world.  It's nice to have enough money to live on, but if I had a million dollars, I'd give at least half of it away.  Greed is the all-consuming thing affecting the country.

Ocracoke Current:  If you could change one law, what would it be?

Leroy:  (laughing) Allow no one to run as a Republican.  I am amazed at some of the things these people come on and say.  Their one purpose is to defeat Obama, not to help the country.

The magnitude of what Obama inherited is not understood by the public.  The American electorate is not the greatest bunch of geniuses.  I have a $100 bet with [nephew and former O'Neal of the Week] Carmen that Obama will win the election.  You help me get Obama re-elected and I'll cut you in for a quarter of it!