Neil Alan Case

Neil Alan Case, 93, of rural Albion, died peacefully at his home at 9:24 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2024.
Born on February 17, 1931, in Estherville, Iowa, he was the son of the late Charles Edward Case and Lola (Hale) Case. Growing up in Estherville until age 17, the family moved to Heidelberg, Germany due to his father's military service. He graduated high school in Heidelberg. Returning to the States, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Iowa State University.
On June 11, 1954, Neil entered the U.S. Navy as a commissioned officer. Serving the Navy in the Pacific, his home port was Pearl Harbor, Hawaii deploying in the Pacific with ports of call throughout Asia. Attaining the rank of Lieutenant, he was honorably discharged from active duty on June 26, 1959. He continued with the naval reserves for 16 years retiring as a Captain. Using the GI Bill, he was accepted at Cornell University in Ithica, NY, where he obtained a Master's Degree in Wildlife Management.
On April 20, 1963, he married Mona M. Powers, beginning their 49-year journey together and raising four children. Mona died on July 28, 2012.
In 1965, Neil went to work for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources becoming the manager of the Salamonie Reservoir. He retired in 1991.
A consummate outdoorsman, he enjoyed watching and studying nature. With binoculars always close, he liked watching, counting, and tracking birds. He authored a newspaper column for the Huntington Herald, Outdoor Notes, growing to appear in most Northeast Indiana newspapers for years.
In his retirement, he liked to travel with his wife to our nation's national parks, forest, and wildlife areas, often volunteering his time and expertise for free camping. Traveling outside the U.S., he visited Australia and New Zealand and drove to Costa Rica and Nova Scotia. The couple traveled Europe, including a riverboat trip on the Rhine in France. In his senior years, he took up horseback riding on his horse Cinnamon.
He was a lifetime member of the National Geographic Society, the National Wildlife Federation, Acres Land Trust, the Cosmopolitan Club of Huntington and the American Legion.
Surviving are his children, Laura M. Case of Albion, Carl A. (Rachel) Case of Wawaka, Mark E. (Brian Zak) Case of Farmington Hills, MI, and Sara L. (Tim) Landrum of Huntington; and a sister, Gail Murphy of Augusta, GA.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday (March 2nd) at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. Visitation is from noon until the service Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials in Neil's honor are to Acres Land Trust.