John L. Neely, III

Neely, John L., III - age 77, died at his Knoxville home on Dec. 6, 2011, surrounded by his family. The cause of death was corticobasal degeneration, a crippling neurological disease with which he had struggled for about five years. He was 77. He leaves his wife of 55 years, Mary Stuart McComb Neely; son John L. Neely IV and his wife Janet, of Knoxville; daughter Katherine Neely Forney and her husband, Neal, of Charlotte, N.C.; grandchildren Samuel Neely, Rebecca Neely, Nick Forney, and John Forney; brother Loch Neely and his wife Freya, of Huntsville, Ala.; sister Nancy Neely Schmidt, and her husband, Carl, of Cincinnati; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. An industrial engineer, Neely worked in management at Rohm & Haas for 30 years, where he was involved in industrial processes as well as lobbying in state legislature and community relations. Previously he worked for Union Carbide. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served as elder, deacon, and active member of the James Park class. A dependable community volunteer, he served as chairman of Habitat for Humanity; chair of the Young Life committee; volunteer driver for the FISH pantry; and as a member of the board of trustees for Clarence Brown Theatre, which honored him with a lifetime membership. He was also an enthusiastic supporter of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Knoxville Opera. Love of the outdoors led him to spend hundreds of weekends hiking and fly-fishing in the Smokies. He also enjoyed skiing, hunting, and scuba diving. He was an active tennis player and golfer at Cherokee Country Club, where he often lunched with his buddies on Saturdays. In retirement, he enjoyed travels abroad with his wife. Son of John L. Neely, Jr. and Louise Cook Neely, he was born in Nashville in 1934. He attended Bearden public schools but graduated from McCallie School in Chattanooga. He attended Vanderbilt, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, but graduated from UT with a B.S. industrial engineering and later an M.B.A. in industrial management. He was a member of the Pi Tau Sigma engineering fraternity. His lifelong devotion to his country led him to serve as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, based mostly in Misawa, Japan. A funeral service will be held at First Presbyterian Church on Monday, December 12, at 2:00 pm followed by the receiving of friends. The family gives special thanks to his caregivers, especially Gloria Roberts, Byron Whiteside, Angela Bridges, and Vickie Welch. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 620 State Street, Knoxville, 37902; Cure PSP/CBD, 30 E. Padonia Road, Ste. 201, Timonium, MD, 21093; and Tennova Hospice, 7447 Andersonville Pike, Knoxville, 37938. Arrangements by Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.rosemortuary.com

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John L. Neely, III

December 6, 2011