Joseph J. "Papa Joe" Oneail

Joseph Jay “Papa Joe” Oneail, 67, longtime resident of Milford, NH, died on November 22, 2025 at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, Nashua, surrounded by his adoring family.

He was born on September 9, 1958 in Toledo, Ohio, the son of John Oneail and Donna Mae (Hayes) Oneail. He was raised on Seabrook Beach, and graduated from Winnicunnet High School.

Joe was an amazing chef, starting at age 13 as a dishwasher at the Ashworth Hotel on Hampton Beach, leaving 10 years later as Executive Chef. He worked as Executive Chef for the Hilton Hotel in Merrimack, then as Corporate Chef for LPM Holdings (managing all Corporate cafeterias in NE). In 1995 he purchased the Milford Fish Market, then in 1999 opened Humble Pie of Milford, making and selling home cooked meals to go. In 2009, he moved his business to South Street and started Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen with his family, crafting specialty burgers with his own special seasoning.

Papa Joe most treasured his children, Travis and Kelsey, with whom he worked the business every single day. With Travis, he loved going to car shows and working on their 1965 Impala. With Kelsey, they regularly went exploring abandoned places and sea glass hunting. They are a testament to his love, and will continue his legacy running Papa Joe’s. With his wife of 40 yrs, he loved to travel, go out with friends, and enjoy their close family unit.

He was predeceased by his mother, Donna Mae Oneail, who died in 1971.

Family members include his adoring wife and sidekick, Marcelle (Verhoef) Oneail of Milford, NH; his son, Travis J.J. Oneail and fiancée Alicia Kincaid of Milford; his daughter, Kelsey Mae Oneail of Milford; his parents, John Joseph and Patricia Ann Oneail; brothers, John Oneail, Jeffrey Oneail, Jason Oneail, Jeremy Oneail, Ian Oneail; and a sister, Tanya Bailey.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, November 30th from 3:00pm to 7:00pm in the Souhegan Valley Christian Church, 134 Hollis Road, Amherst, NH.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his memory to SHARE Outreach, Inc., 1 Columbus Avenue, Milford, NH 03055, as they need help at this time of year. The family kindly asks that you please write a memory/story of Papa Joe and bring to the visiting hours for the family to take home and treasure.