FAMILY OBITUARY: Cameron O'Neill-Mullin

Cameron Leigh O’Neill-Mullin, 16, died April 5, 2011, in a boating accident in Goondiwindi, Queensland, Australia. Cameron, from Lutherville, MD, was visiting Australia on an exchange program between and St. Hilda’s School. While in Australia, she was a member of the Wilson family, also of Goondiwindi.

Cameron attended preschool at the Cedarcroft School, where she was awarded the Cedarcroft Cup “as the outstanding child in the school in work, play and manners.” In presenting the award, Mrs. Edith Gentry, the headmistress, said that Cameron “gave 100 percent of herself, all the time, not just Thursday and Friday, but every day.”

She then attended the Lower School at St. Paul’s. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Kinsolving-Hamilton Good Fellowship Award presented to the student who “best embodies the sentiments expressed in the school prayer by an attitude of giving, sharing and laboring for the benefit of others without regard to personal reward or recognition.” She was also secretary of the Student Council.

At the time of her death, Cameron was a sophomore at St. Paul’s School for Girls (SPSG), where she was an honor student. While in middle school, Cameron was Student Government Athletic Association Representative and was presented with the Technology Award.

In addition to her studies, she excelled at athletics and the arts. She was elected captain of all of her middle school sports teams and played varsity soccer and basketball her freshman year at SPSG. She started on the varsity soccer team as a sophomore and at the conclusion of the season received an award for most improved player. She also played a wide range of Lutherville-Timonium Recreation Council recreational and travel sports, club soccer and AAU basketball, including multiple appearances at age group nationals. 

Music was a very important part of her life. Cameron was a member of 7^th Avenue, an SPSG a cappella group, and also played the guitar and piano. She was enormously proud to have attended nine concerts by Bruce Springsteen and five concerts by her favorite group, The Jonas Brothers.

Cameron’s courage to travel with a friend as an exchange student to Australia for five weeks was due in part to her experiences with her family. She traveled extensively throughout the United States, including Alaska, to sightsee, camp, backpack, raft, climb, ride horseback, ride RV and ATV, boat and sail, fish, and ski. In 2006 she drove cross-country with her father and sister. Internationally, in addition to Australia, she visited England, Paris, Rome (her favorite city) and made several trips to Costa Rica and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

When she was 9 years old, she was honored in the national magazine New Moon (based on a nomination by her sister) as one of “25 Beautiful Girls.”

She is survived by her parents, Tricia D. O’Neill and Timothy L. Mullin Jr., of Lutherville; her sister and best friend, Kylie, a freshman at; her grandmother Jeanne M. O’Neill of Lansing, MI; her grandparents Timothy L. Mullin and Joan L. Mullin of Ocean Pines, MD; and a host of very special aunts, uncles and cousins.

A viewing will be held on April 15, 2011 from 1 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 9 p.m. at , 1050 York Rd., Towson, MD 21204. Funeral services will be private. The family is planning a service to celebrate Cameron’s life in early June.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Cameron may be made to Echo Hill Outdoor School, 13655 Bloomingneck Road, Worton, MD 21678 or DonorsChoose.org at donorschoose.org/donors/viewChallenge.html?page=1&id=161863&max=50.

Editor's Note: The featured video in this post was taken from YouTube, from user AnyTownUSA's page.