Everybody liked Brian O'Neill. If you didn't get to know him, that's a shame. Brian was the Superintendent of the Golden Gate Recreation Area for 23 years. He died on May 13 from troubles that occurred after heart surgery. Brian's presence was unforgettable. He dealt with people in a way that was disarming. One might leave his office, after chatting with him in some earnest way, and consider how grand he was. Then it might occur to you to wonder why you went there in the first place, even if one was armed for debate. That's disarming.
Yes, sometimes you might stride away from the Parade Grounds feeling good about something, after you talked to him. It wasn't all blarney, it seemed very reasonable. Brian personified a certain sort of soul in the Presidio, much like the dedicated men, and women who worked under his aegis. That includes the myriad members of his staff, including the U.S. Park Service.
The walk in his honor was an inspired idea. Brian would have liked this. The gathering was arranged on May 29, with scores of people sauntering with high spirits over Crissy Field. It was a walkabout in his name, on the property that he loved so much. This was Brian's part of the world. It's still his world.
There was a certain artistry to the way he engaged people. He had to tread the treacherous path amid the politics that pervade the Presidio. He navigated that course very well, always conciliatory, but never compromising himself. He was no pushover. To think his amiable way of carrying himself suggested otherwise, well, then, you've made a mistake. Brian was a pro. He stuck to his guns, yet he was skilled, and smart enough to see a diplomatic entrance into a dire disagreement that appeared untenable.
He also had great Irish charm, never taking himself too seriously.
"This job gets a little rough," he told this reporter years ago, "but, make no mistake, I love it."
He also loved the Presidio and all the people in it. That affection will be missed on this windy landscape. One was never sure if Brian was speaking on the record or off the record. He had a knack of making you agree with him, in either case. After a conversation with him, you might think, "Did I just get snowed?" No matter. Brian played all the nuances, and all the ambiguities of local politics with a deft hand.
That walk on Crissy Field in Brian's honor wasn't really a memorial for Brian O'Neill. It was more about a testament to living. He had the decency to take pains to make sure the rest of us are having a good time.
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