James H. Mcneil

James H. McNeil Col. USAF (Ret.)



Jim McNeil was born to Herbert and Edna (Smith) McNeil on May 21, 1934 (along with his twin sister, Jane). He was raised with his 3 sisters in East Athens, PA. He was part of the Hall of Fame 1951 football team of Athens High School. He graduated in 1952 and in 1953 enlisted in the Air Force. He earned a commission as an officer and completed navigator training. In 1957 he married Mary Louise Collins of South Waverly (Sayre H.S. 1952). Of this union were born 3 children. In 1969 Jim served in Vietnam taking part in over 70 combat missions. He then received his first assignment to Strategic Air Command Headquarters in Nebraska where he was involved in negotiations to turn over Goose Bay Air Force Base to the Canadian government. Later he was Commander of Resources at Griffiss Air Force Base in New York, and then returned for a 2nd assignment to Nebraska. He could be considered one of the fathers of the U.S. Space Force because in the late 1970s he was tasked with uniting all the military’s satellites and space assets of the various branches into a single command over which he was named Administrative Director. He retired from the Air Force in 1980 and earned an MBA degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He worked for several years at Mutual of Omaha and First Data Resources before retiring. Jim beat cancer once several decades earlier. However, cancer won round 2. He passed on Sunday, August 14th at his home in Bellevue, NE.



He was preceded in death by parents, Herb and Edna; wife, Mary Lou (in 2016); sisters Jane Avery and Mary Horn; sister-in-law Helen Collins Drake; brothers-in-law Ed Ackerman, Ed Horn, Bill Collins, Harold Drake; daughter-in-law Laurie Booth McNeil; nephews Vincent and Patrick Drake.



He is survived by: sons, Eric McNeil and his sons (Collin, Logan, Trevor), and Rev. Fr. Joel McNeil; daughter Amy (John) Iwanski and children Sara, Joel and Anna (Steve) Nolan and children (Gwen, Sean, and Dominic); sister Patricia Ackerman, brother in law Ken (Elizabeth) Avery and daughter Hailee, nephews Tom Ackerman and Sumner Drake; nieces Sandra (Loren) Morse and children (Andrew, Gregory); Gail (Joseph) Cacchione and children (Callie, Olivia); Julie (Jim) Gilchriest and children (Zach, Kelsey); Katherine (Roger) Quail.



Funeral: Thursday, August 18th at 9:30 AM at John A. Gentleman Mortuaries Bellevue Chapel. Visitation will be Wednesday, August 17th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, followed by a Prayer Service at 7:00PM, also at the funeral home. Interment with Military Honors: Omaha National Cemetery.