John Philip "Surf" McNemar

1949 - 2023

John Philip McNemar 'Surf', 73
LEWES, DE - John Philip McNemar "Surf" passed away on Friday, February 3, 2023, at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes. He was born on November 20, 1949, in Wilmington, DE, son of the late Charles and Dorothy McNemar.
John grew up in Canby Park and graduated from Wilmington High School with the Class of 1967. He was also a graduate of Wesley College '69, University of Delaware '78, and Wilmington College '92. Following John's Wesley College graduation, he joined the US Air Force, where he trained and worked as an Avionics Instrument Systems Specialist Tech. He also served nine years in the USAF Reserves. John was able to visit many countries and for a time was stationed at CCK Air Base in Taiwan.
John began his accounting career at Blue Ridge Winkler Textiles in Middletown. He went on to a career in hospital accounting working at Wilmington Hospital, Christiana Hospital, and Union Hospital. John retired from Beebe Healthcare as Comptroller.
Sports were always important to John, and he attended many high school and college games. Wesley College and Slam Dunk to the Beach were always his favorites, and during his 2 years at Wesley, he traveled to many games with the basketball team as manager.
John loved board games, especially Scrabble. He loved winning, even when the rule was "winner cleans up"! The News Journal puzzles were always a part of his morning, along with a good, hot cup of coffee. John was also an enthusiastic collector of HO trains and an avid traveler, especially cruising the seas with his beloved wife.
John was a caring and wonderful husband, father, and friend. His strong faith, kindness, and sense of humor always came through in his daily life. John was an important person in many lives, and he loved his family dearly. Once a friend, always a friend. John will be missed by many. We treasure all his memories in our hearts. He gave us all so much love, smiles, laughs, and happiness.
John is survived by his Wesley College sweetheart and devoted wife of 51 years, Donna McNemar; his daughter, Kelly McNemar-Johnson; his sons, Scott McNemar (Jessi), and Brian McNemar (Patty); his grandchildren, Maddy, Ally, Reilly, and Moxie; his sisters, Shirley Willerton (David) and Eloise Nickerson (Dan); and his brother, Thomas McNemar (Thelma); and his many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of John's life at his home will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Beebe Medical Foundation, 902 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958.
Final care has been entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes, DE.
Please visit John's Life Memorial Webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.