HISTORY T he William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation was founded in 1987 by Mrs. O’Neill and her eldest son, William J. O’Neill, Jr. It is a private family foundation organized "...to receive...property...and apply...income...and...principal... exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes either directly or by contributions to organizations which qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code...".  William J. O’Neill was born in 1906. He was the youngest of four children born to his Irish and German immigrant parents. Dorothy Kundtz O’Neill was born in 1910, and was the youngest of nine children born to her Hungarian and German parents. Both were raised in Cleveland, Ohio in the Catholic family tradition. After graduation from Notre Dame University and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College respectively, they each returned to Cleveland and were married. Mr. O’Neill, with his brothers Hugh M. and Francis J., started and acquired a number of trucking, leasing and transportation companies in the 1940's and 50's. These companies were brought together as Leaseway Transportation Corp. and taken public in 1961. Mr. O’Neill was Leaseway Transportation's first President and later became Chairman of its Board. Under his stewardship, along with that of his brothers, and the subsequent stewardship of his son and nephews, Leaseway Transportation grew to become a billion dollar a year, pre-eminent physical distribution company with operations throughout the United States and in foreign countries as well. Mr. O’Neill, who was noted for his philanthropy, died in 1983. Mrs. O’Neill’s life was spent raising her children and nurturing her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She died in 1998, and is now survived by six children, nineteen grandchildren and thirty-one great grandchildren, many of whom play active roles in the Foundation. She devoted her life to her family, and will long be remembered as a constant source of wisdom, courage and good humor to both family and friends alike.