Extracted from The McComb Enterprise-Journal (McComb, MS)
Sam ‘A.’ McNeil Jr.
Sam “A.” McNeil Jr., 82, of Gloster, a retired U.S. Navy Electricians Mate Chief and Georgia Pacific-Gloster employee, passed away Dec. 3, 2016, at Liberty Community Living Center in Liberty.
Visitation is 10 a.m. Wednesday at Brown Funeral Home in Gloster until services there at 11. The Rev. Blaine Stafford and the Rev. James Sadler will officiate. Burial will follow in Roseland Cemetery with military honors.
Mr. McNeil was born June 7, 1934, in Gloster, the son of Sam A. McNeil Sr. and Edna Brown McNeil.
He proudly served his country from 1953 to 1973 during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During his service he served as an electrician on both destroyers and ammunition ships and was stationed on both the east and west coasts.
During his last tour of duty, he served as an instructor at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Fla., which he was very proud of.
Sam retired from the U.S. Navy in 1973 and returned home to Gloster where he worked as an electrician at GP for 20 years. He was an avid reader and enjoyed woodworking and tinkering in his shop.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 48 years Nell Terrell McNeil of Liberty; his parents; three sisters, Sadie Pearl McNeil Ravencraft, Edna Earl McNeil McFarland, and Linda Ruth McNeil, and a son-in-law, John Van Kevin Cowart.
He is survived by his daughter, Debra McNeil Cowart; his son, Charles McNeil Sr. and wife Jennifer; grandsons, Charles McNeil Jr. and fiancée Carley McAbee, and Damon Griman; granddaughters, Samantha Cowart LeCroy and husband Kenneth, and Nanci Cowart Brioso and husband Walter; great-grandson, Jameson McNeil; and great-granddaughters, Summer Rose McNeil and Rosalie Grace LeCroy; two brothers, Thomas McNeil and wife Gwen, and Robert McNeil and wife Martha.
Pallbearers will be Charles McNeil Jr., Rodney Toler, Kenneth LeCroy, Shane Harvey, Grant McCurley, and David McFarland.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016