Robert W. Neill

Robert W. Neill (Bob) died on June 8, 2017 at the age of 91. He passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home at Brookdale Yreka where he received wonderful care and support. Bob was born in Marshall, Minnesota to Robert Marshall and Josephine A. Neill in 1925. He attended schools in Willmar, Minnesota and graduated from Willmar High School in 1943. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps after graduation when he turned 18. After basic training, he was stationed at an air base near Venice, Italy and served as a tail gunner in a B-24 Liberator. His plane was shot down near Vienna, Austria in December 1944. He and the other nine crew members parachuted out and were captured by the Germans. They were in a German prisoner of war camp near Barth on the north coast of Germany until liberated from the camp in 1945 by the Russian army. Bob attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and was awarded a Purple Heart, Air Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and a European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Service Ribbon. After returning home, Bob attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to study architecture. Bob married his childhood sweetheart, Elaine, in 1946. They lived in Willmar until 1951, when they moved to Arcadia, California. They moved to Siskiyou County a few years later and resided in Yreka since 1955, except for a couple years in the late 1950’s when they lived in Sacramento, California. During his working career, Bob worked for the railroad in Willmar, owned and operated a Mobil Service Station in Arcadia, CA, worked for the Department of Water Resources, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Postal Service. He found his true professional passion while working for the Forest Service in the 1950’s when he was exposed to surveying. He furthered his education in this area and obtained his Land Surveyors license in 1960. He worked as a professional land surveyor in private practices, as a partner in the civil engineering and land surveying firm of Piemme, Neill, and Bryan, Inc., and as a sole practitioner. One of Bob’s passions in life was his love of flying. His interest started when he was a teenager, and despite his experience of being shot down in World War II, his interest continued. He obtained his pilots license at an early age and owned many airplanes during his life. Flying magazines were one of his favorite reading items. He also loved dogs and reading. He and his family had many dogs, mostly Labrador Retrievers. Bob was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 1980 in Yreka for over 50 years. He served in all the offices of the organization, including Exalted Ruler in 1967/68, and also served many years on the Board of Trustees. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Ex-Prisoners of War, and the Disabled American Veterans. He was proud of his country, yet quiet and humble about his service. Bob is survived by his three children and their spouses Sharon Broce (Ron), Steven Neill (Mary), and Patricia Rice (Craig); five grandsons, Stephen, Ryan and Eric Broce, and Eric and David Neill; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Elaine, and his siblings and their spouses, Josephine Ann Livingston (Robert), Marjorie A. Woodruff (Everett), Clarence L. Neill (Marion), and Aileen G. Isenberg (Lewis). Funeral services will be held at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, 825 Knapp Street, in Yreka on Monday June 19 at 2 pm. Interment will be at the Eagle Point National Cemetery on Tuesday June 20, at 10 am. If desired, and in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Bob’s name to Stable Hands/Horses Helping Heroes Program, PO Box 1852, Yreka, CA 96097, www.stablehands.org.

Robert W. Neill

October 1, 1925 - June 8, 2017