Macneil Sturgess

Macneil ("Mike") Sturgess, 85, died Saturday May 26 in Springfield, Ohio. Mike was born April 6, 1927 in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Thomas A. Sturgess and Alice McNeil Sturgess. He is survived by his significant other, Betty S. Burrows of Springfield, his children Thomas (Marilynn) Sturgess of Northford, CT, Elizabeth (Lawrence) Kibler of Albuquerque, NM, David (Paula) Sturgess of Charlotte, NC, and Douglas (Cristina) Sturgess of Irvine, CA. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law Nicole Sturgess of Branford, CT, 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Barbara Duke Sturgess, son Paul Sturgess, and brother Charles Sturgess. Mike grew up in Hamden, Connecticut, graduated from Cheshire Academy in 1944 and entered Yale University. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1945, and upon completion of his service returned to Yale, graduating in 1950. Mike was the fourth generation family owner of V.F. McNeil Insurance Company, where he worked from 1952 to 2000. He was a Board member and served as President of the New Haven Board of Insurance Agents and was a Board member of the Quinnipiac Council of Boys Scouts of America and the Kiwanis Club of New Haven. He was President and Commodore of the Pine Orchard Yacht & Country Club, where he was active in tennis and golf. His most loved sport was sailboat racing. He competed in numerous local and statewide regattas. He was a six-time winner of the Rhodes 18 Nationals, and in 1964 finished fourth in the week-long Mallory Cup - the United States Men's National Championship - held in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with his wife Barbara and Charles Adams serving as crew members. In his later years he switched to the very competitive sport of radio-controlled model sailboat racing, and competed in national regattas in New England, California, Florida, South Carolina and Ohio. Funeral services will be held Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. in the First Congregational Church of Branford. Burial will follow in Center Cemetery, Branford. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.