Gerald McNeil

Gerald Wayne McNeil departed this earthly life on November 4, 2025. He was born in Jackson, Tn. to Clara Lee Arnold and James Tiberius McNeil of Medon, Tn. He attended school first in his home community of Medon and later at Southside high school in Jackson, Tn., graduating in 1959. He married his high school sweetheart, Peggy Collins on July 1, 1960, and in 1963, she gave birth to a son, James Franklin McNeil. They resided in Memphis, Tn. where Gerald worked for the GMNO railroad as a switchman, and learned the art of meat cutting from a local grocery he worked for. After their marriage dissolved, he moved back to Medon, and in 1968, he met Brenda Austin from Savannah, Tn. while he was working as a Supervisor on a Wonder Bread route there. They married on November 3, 1968. She brought to this marriage a two year old daughter, Tracey Leigh Fondren, and together she and Gerald became the parents of two more daughters, Tifni Shawn McNeil in 1969 and Brandi Lynn McNeil in 1974. Gerald and Brenda lived in Medon for six years before moving to Malesus in 1975, where they ran a Grocery Store for several years called McNeil's Country Mart, and where he also processed deer and other meat for people before they closed the business. Gerald then went to work with Conwood Tobacco company for several years and traveled all around West Tennessee selling their products. He also briefly worked in insurance sales, and then went to work as a salesman in both new and used vehicles in the automobile industry, jobs he dearly loved and was good at because he was such a people person doing what he did best, talking and trying to help people out. He worked at several dealerships in the Jackson and Henderson areas, most notably Golden Circle Ford, Serra Chevrolet, Bolton Ford Mercury, Dwain Seaton Ford, Frank Brasher Buick and Bobby Greene's Old Country Auto Sales. The latter three were probably his favorite places to work, as he had been personal friends with Dwain Seaton, Frank Brasher and Bobby Greene long before going to work for them, and those friendships continued even after he retired from the Automobile Sales Industry. Not being satisfied with retirement, and since he was such a people person and missed being with and talking to people on a daily basis, he was asked to come to work with the Sheriff's Department by someone else he had been friends with even before he went to work there, as he had worked as an auxilary deputy with Sheriff David Woolfork before David became Sheriff. He was put to work as a deputy and later earned the Rank of Sgt. at the Madison County Court House in Court Security, and was also assigned as a baliff for Chancellor Jimmy Butler, a job he enjoyed thoroughly as he sat in the middle of the Courthouse when not on Court duty and interracted with the public on a daily basis, which was the perfect job for him. He knew just about everyone in the world, and everyone knew him and always commented on how much they missed him at the courthouse after he left and went home for his final retirement. He retired from the Sheriff's department in 2015, and came home to Malesus to do something else he dearly loved on a daily basis, cultivating flowers and working on his 7 acre homeplace where you could see him thoroughly enjoying himself mowing his yard with his zero turn mower and also making many trips to where he grew up, Medon, to talk with old friends. Those were truly his happy places and were where he was relaxed. His many flowers and trees reflected his love of gardening. His wife often remarked that he could root a dead stick and make it grow and he was forever accepting plants of any kind that people would give him or would root any little cutting that he decided he wanted more of, much to his wife's chagrin at times as she was the one who had to do the weeding, something he would help with, but was not something he particularly liked to do. Two weeks before his death he was on his mower in his happy place mowing around the endless trees and bushes he planted on his property for the 29 years he and Brenda have owned it. He was a huge NASCAR fan, and loved watching American Pickers and endless old Westerns. Anything with John Wayne were his favorites and he watched them over and over. When asked recently if he ever had a nickname, he said yes, that a lot of his friends and co-workers called him "The Duke" in honor of John Wayne, which doesn't surprise anyone who knew him.
Gerald is survived by his wife of 57 years, Brenda Austin McNeil. He is also survived by one son, James Franklin McNeil (Lashon) of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Two daughters, Tifni Shawn Herlevic (David) of Signal Mountain in Chattanooga, Tn., Brandi Lynn Ragan (Ronnie) of the Malesus community in Jackson, Tn. He was predeceased by one stepdaughter, Tracey Fondren Gardner of Jackson, Tn. He was also predeceased by both of his parents and one sister, Nancy North (Joe) of Jackson. He is survived by one sister, Judy McCarver (Arthur) deceased, of Jackson, Tn. Gerald and Brenda often joked that their blended family took seriously the Bible verses from
These verses emphasize the command to be fruitful and multiply as part of God's creation mandate. And their children certainly did that.
Gerald was very proud of his service to his country in the Military, beginning with his enlistment just out of high school on May 4, 1959, serving 30 years, 1 month and 28 days with the Tennessee National Guard before retiring on July 1, 1989. After basic training, he was assigned to Field Artillery in Memphis, Tn. On November 29, 1968 he entered Active Duty for training and earned his commission as an Officer. On December 1, 1968 he was assigned to the 4/117 Infantry in Henderson, Tn. as Commo Officer and on January 1, 1976, he was appointed as Company Commander there with the rank of Captain. His time of service there was one of enjoyment and great pride in the soldiers he commanded. He loved them and they all thought the world of him. Many times after he left there he was told by so many that he was the best commander they had ever served under, which made him happy. On November 21, 1977 he was transferred to Headquarters in Nashville, Tn. serving as Food Service Officer for the State and was promoted to Major, the rank he retired with. He transferred back to Henderson, Tn. on April 21, 1985, and retired July 1, 1989 after reenlisting and serving as First Cook for the remainder of his time in service. Gerald loved and was proudest of his family, and felt blessed to have so many friends and of serving his country in the military and the many other different aspects of his life that brought him so much pleasure. He will be missed!
Funeral services will be 3:00 PM Sunday November 9, 2025, at Malesus Baptist Church with Ronnie Ragan, Johnny Connor officiating. Burial will follow at Malesus Ebenezer Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the church from 1:30 PM until 3:00 PM service time Sunday.