John Allen Neely

1934 - 2021

John Allen Neely was born August 30, 1934, in Springhill Township, Greene County, the eldest son of the late Andrew Neely and Ida Naomi "Ann" Smith. He passed away in the early morning hours on Friday, December 17, 2021, along with his wife, Shirley Marie Anderson Neely, in a tragic house fire at their home in Springhill Township, Greene County.

While being born in Ned, he spent his boyhood years growing up in the Silver Hill, Wetzel County, W.Va., area, graduating from Magnolia High School in 1951.

As was common at the time, John moved to Ohio for work, living in Barberton, Ohio and then Hartville, Ohio. Upon early retirement in 1989, he made the move to Springhill Township, Greene County, to the same property where he was born.

He was preceded in death by his parents; older half-brother, Covert Hugh Neely, on October 15, 2005; a daughter, Christina Marie Neely Tenney, on January 2, 2016; paternal grandparents, John W. "Buck" Neely and Rachel Matilda Robinson; and maternal grandparents, Jesse Earl Smith and Irene Elmira "Jenny" Kisner.

John enjoyed farming and gathering firewood for some of the neighbors. He was beloved by his grandchildren.

He is survived by his children from his first marriage, Carol Neely Patterson, of Littleton, W.Va., and Johnny Andrew Neely, of Canton, Ohio; his daughter from his second marriage, Dr. Vicky Lynn Neely Soles (Rex), of Springhill Township; his son-in-law, Jeremy Tenney, of Uniontown; two brothers, Ted Arnold Neely (Elsie), of Thorsby, Ala., and William Michael Neely (Anita) of Tallassee, Ala.; and a sister, Amy Rosalie Neely Noah (Lonnie), of Moshiem, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

All services were private, and were held at the convenience of the family. Burial was in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery on the Garrison Ridge.

The Tennant Funeral Home, Hundred, W.Va., is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the: Pleasant Hill Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 1200, Hundred, W.Va.; as this is the cemetery where John and Shirley were buried.