I sit here at my keyboard today with an empty feeling in my chest and a heavy heart as I mourn the loss of a very dear friend. I have not felt this way since the passing of another close chipper friend, Bruce Landau, in December, 2002.

Brenda and I met Janice & Jerry O’Neal for the very first time (before the club was organized) during one of Jim Munding’s early chip shows in Bellflower, California, I think sometime during the mid-1980’s. We had corresponded frequently about chip collecting, via snail-mail, prior to our Bellflower face to face meeting … where I first met Jim Munding, Gene & Arlene Grossblatt, Arno Pfaender, Mel Jung, and other west coasters.

At that time, the O’Neals were living in Howell, Michigan and Brenda and I were living in Howell, New Jersey … so we had something in common (geographically speaking) besides collecting chips.

Over the following 20+ years, a very close friendship developed with the O’Neals and we sought out their company and companionship whenever we visited Las Vegas. Jerry & Janice would take us to Jean or to Laughlin for the day … or to visit Nevada casinos just to pick up a new chip, a slot token, a slot card, a deck of playing cards or a matchbook that had just been issued to add to Janice’s many collections. In addition to being the club’s first Vice President, Janice was also the club Historian and a Hall Of Fame member. Her record keeping system was meticulous and she enthusiastically shared her valuable hobby knowledge with anyone who asked.

We have stayed as invited guests at the O’Neal home in Las Vegas on occasion, and they have stayed with us once or twice at our weekend retreat in Atlantic City. The four of us used to look forward to staffing the CC & GTCC booth, promoting the club, at several American Numismatic Association conventions held around the country. The most memorable ANA convention with the O’Neals was in Denver, Colorado where we enjoyed our casino side trips to Black Hawk and Central City with Janice & Jerry.

Janice was a compulsive collector’s collector and she loved the club dearly. If there was anything remotely related to a casino collectible, she had to have one. For anyone who has visited them in Las Vegas, knows the scope of Janice & Jerry’s various fantastic collections. From Jim Beam decanters and Keno holders, to key chains and everything else in between, is on display in what could be considered the “O’Neal Museum”.

Janice was mildly out-spoken, but never two-faced … she either liked you or she didn’t … and she would candidly let you know which in no uncertain terms. You always knew where Janice was coming from. She was a loyal friend to Brenda and me, and we thoroughly enjoyed her company. It was our privilege to have known her and we are forever grateful to Janice for having been a part of our life. Her extreme pain and suffering is now over. We will miss her presence dearly. Our deepest condolences are extended to her loyal and compassionate husband, Jerry, and to her family.