J.D. "Mac" McNeill Jr.

1914 - 2003

John Duncan "Mac" McNeill Jr., 89, a retired pilot, passed away Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003, in Fort Worth.

Funeral: 1:30 p.m. Monday in Mount Olivet Chapel. Burial: Mount Olivet Cemetery. Visitation: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Mount Olivet Funeral Home.

Pallbearers: Jimmy Lynam, Vin McMaster, John McMaster, Harold Johnson, Dr. R.V. Wilson, Bob Eggenberger and Bob Pence. Honorary pallbearers: Russell O'Hara, Billy Haynes, Col. Leo Moon, Dr. Joe Wheeler and Tim Holt.

John Duncan "Mac" McNeill was born Jan. 11, 1914, in Sylvester. He was a member of Brownwood Methodist Church in Brownwood.

Mac started his flying career at the age of 18 in Corpus Christi. He attended Arlington State College for two years, now known as The University of Texas at Arlington. He was a member of the Texas State Aviation Association, AOPA, Grey Eagles, and QB Association-Fort Worth Hangar. Mac was an American Airlines captain from 1938 to 1961. On July 10, 1938, he married Verna Mae Bailey Cravens in Corpus Christi. They moved to Fort Worth in 1938. In 1947, he and his wife opened Saginaw Airport and ran a charter business for 37 years. Mr. and Mrs. McNeill retired from the airport 18 years ago and leased the airport to other operators until November of 2002. On Nov. 2, 2002, the airport was officially closed in a "final flight" tribute honoring the McNeills, their family and the many pilots who over the years flew there. The airport and its surrounding acreage on McLeroy Blvd. in Saginaw has been purchased for development, the main road being named McNeill Blvd., after John and Mae. The surrounding streets will be named after the many airplanes that flew at Saginaw Airport. He was married to his lovely wife, Mae, for 64 years.

John is preceded in death by his parents, John Duncan McNeill and Hilda Atkins McNeill, and son, George F. Cravens.

Survivors: Wife, Verna Mae McNeill of Fort Worth; daughters, Dr. Linda Stegall and son-in-law, Eddie, of The Woodlands and Barbara Beerling of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Dr. George Cravens and wife, Tracey, of Fort Worth, John Barber and wife, Ursula, of Fort Worth, Rhonda O'Brien and husband, Steve, of Fort Worth, Jim Barber and wife, Donna, of Arlington, Ron Frank and wife, Theresa, of Bedford and Lisa Venus and husband, Robin, of Azle; 16 great-grandchildren, Meridyn and Madison Barber, Matthew and Morgan Barber, Josh and Vanessa Venus, Marlena, William, Mary Elizabeth and Catherine Cravens, Bret, Candice, Landry and Alexis O'Brien, and Zachary and Joshua Johnson; sister, Christine McMaster of Dallas; nephews, Vin McMaster of Dallas and John McMaster of Garden City; and a host of other loving family members and friends.