Robert McNeill

It is with sadness that the family of Robert McNeill age 62 announce his passing on November 28th, 2022. Robert was found at home of an apparent heart attack and died peacefully in his sleep. Still actively working for the San Francisco Parks Department, he was a lifelong gardener and horticulturist. Prior to that, he was employed by the University of San Francisco and prior to that worked for the San Francisco Pier 39 in the same capacity.

Robert was born and grew up in Wantagh, NY on Long Island and graduated from MacArthur high school in 1978 and shortly thereafter moved to San Francisco. He spent the last 30 years living in an apartment on the corner of Cole and Hayes streets within a close knit community. Robert felt a special connection to his neighbors and his photo is displayed at the corner market. He also had a special affinity to the state of Maine having vacationed there yearly as a child and returned nearly every summer for a week at the family camp on Hancock pond in Denmark, Maine. Robert enjoyed traveling especially via trains and recently returned from a trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Being an avid music lover, he was considered a Dead Head having been to hundreds of their Grateful Dead concerts. On the day he died, he had tickets for that night to see Patti Smith; one of his favorites.

Survivors include James (Laura) and Joe (Nancy) McNeill both of Portland, ME and niece Carla McGarvey, and nephews Wesley, Devin, Connor, and Liam McNeill and their children. He was predeceased by his mother Therese this past June, father John in 1986, and brother John in 2015.

There will be a celebration of life at a future date. In the meantime, put on some Grateful Dead's "Truckin" or Patti Smith's "Because the Night", and toast some good cheer to Robert's memory. As Robert would say on Facebook, "Do no harm and blessed be."