Richard Stanley McNeil

Richard Stanley McNeil "Dick" Richard Stanley McNeil, 85, passed away on Saturday, March 22 at his home in Sandy, Utah, with his family present after a battle with leukemia. He was married to Faye Donna Paulson in St. Augustine, Florida on July 26, 1945. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. He was born to John Stanley McNeil and Lucy Greetham McNeil on February 28th, 1923 in Salt Lake City. Through his hobby as a HAM radio operator, he met Faye Donna at age 15. They spent their high school years at South High School. Dick was a celebrated athlete, where he played football, basketball, competed in track and set a state record throwing javelins. They spent the next seventy years together. He served as a career Naval Officer in the U.S. Navy for 23 years and he was selected to be a member of the Blue Angels. As a pilot he engaged in many conflicts, including seeing action in World War II and flying reconnaissance in the South China Sea and Korea. He and his family lived all over the world including the South Pacific, a region which Richard often expressed great affection for. He studied optics and photography at the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, California and studied post-graduate Cinematography at USC, and was the film production supervisor of a Navy documentary film for which he won an award at the International Film Festival in Venice, Italy. After retiring from the Navy, he was a systems engineer in product development of aerial survey, mapping, and photographic equipment. D&C 58: 27 "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;" Always anxiously engaged in good causes, Richard served on the Community Council for over 20 years, 15 of which he was Chairman of the Council. He worked to benefit the community especially with preparedness for disasters, and careful development of the Little Cottonwood Creek area. He also served on the Salt Lake County Planning Commission for many years. Richard was known to family and friends for his brilliant sense of humor, his mischievous grin and playful nature. He loved to serve others and was constantly building something in his workshop, sharing his prized garden's produce, or trouble-shooting anything brought to his energetic attention. He was a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed. He is survived by Faye Donna, his wife of 63 years; daughters, Deborah (Dale) Butler and Peggy McNeil; granddaughters, Sarah (Josh) Callaway, Caroline (Mark) Wagner and Bethany Butler; and great-grandsons, Micah, Eli and Gabriel Callaway. He was preceded in death by his father, John Stanley McNeil; his mother, Lucy Greetham McNeil; and daughter, Rory McNeil. Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 27 at 11 a.m. in the Cottonwood Creek Stake Center, 1535 E. Creek Rd. Friends may call at the Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State St., from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, and Thursday 10-10:45 a.m. at the Stake Center. Interment, Utah Veterans Memorial Park.