Jim O'Neill obituary

The Guardian

4 days ago

My friend Jim O'Neill, who has died of a heart attack aged 65, found his calling 20 years ago when he passed the London taxi cab 'Knowledge' test. A devoted Spurs fan who lived his entire life in Ilford, east London, and thus on the face of it a black cab driver straight out of central casting, Jim upended the profession's sometimes negative stereotype with his socialist views, unstinting kindness and cheerful embrace of everyone of every background, even West Ham fans.
Born in Ilford, he was the second youngest of six children born to Catholic parents originally from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Bridie (nee Finlan), a nurse, and Jim O'Neill, a shop steward at the Ford car plant in Dagenham.
After leaving Bishop Ward school in Dagenham aged 16, Jim worked as a labourer on building sites then as a house renovator, before being hired in 1990 as a supervisor on the Jubilee line extension project with the engineering company Drake & Scull, based in its South Woodford office.
When the project came to an end after 15 years, Jim found himself on the dole and with a severely autistic son, James, to take care of. He was rescued by a friend who suggested he join him in the black cab profession.
This was the life for Jim, giving him a stage for his cheerful temperament, scintillating wit and, most importantly, his practical philosophy of life, which was to do a good deed every day. Helping autistic children and adults get the most out of life was extremely important to him, but so too were his countless acts of kindness ferrying and assisting elderly people, disabled people and those who had fallen on hard times.
Within his family and huge circle of friends from all walks of life, he was adored as a fount of wit, knowledge, outrageous soulboy dance moves and big-hearted charisma.
In 1984 he married Gabby Pentek, who is now an office administrator for Age UK. She survives him, as do James, and Jim's siblings, Barry, Sean, Bridget, Ann and Bernadette.