Edward L O'Neill was born in Boston Massachusetts on November 29, 1927. He graduated from Boston Latin High School in 1945 and from Boston College with the Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics in 1949. After a year of graduate work at Tufts University, he then enrolled at Boston University where in 1954 he completed requirements for the PhD in Physics. In 1955 Dr. O’Neill became Instructor and 1956 Assistant Professor of Physics at Boston University. From 1952 until December 31, 1957, he served on the staff at the Boston University Physical Research Laboratories. Later, Dr. O’Neill was a staff member of the Physical Research Laboratory at the ITEK Corporation. He wrote the textbook Introduction to Statistical Optics and many other publications. He was a Fellow of OSA, and he received the 1958 Adolph Lomb Medal.