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Obituary for Richard Kenneth MacNealy
Richard "Dick" MacNealy, age 94, departed this world on November 6th, 2017. He was born in Newark, Ohio July 10th, 1923 and spent his youth in Bethesda and Canton, Ohio. He grew up during the depression and upon graduation from High School in 1942, he enlisted in the Coast Guard to fight in WWll. As a crew member on Landing Ship, Tank (LST) 166, he was in seven combat campaigns against Japan in the South Pacific involving battles atSaipan, the Solomon Islands, Okinawa, Guadalcanal, Vella la Vella, and Bougainville. He and his ship narrowly escaped destruction during the West Loch disaster in Hawaii, sometimes called the Second Pearl Harbor, a tragedy which was kept top secret until well after the war was over. Soon after his discharge, he attended Northern Michigan University, where he played football and earned his degree in Education. He later earned his Master's degree from the University of Michigan. He coached and taught school in Bellevue, Ohio, Cheboygan, Michigan and for Department of Defense School System in Japan. In 1962, he accepted a job as a school supply sales representative in Mississippi and moved from Japan to Natchez Trace Village in Madison to raise his family. He lovingly gave his three sons the childhood he never had. In 1975, he went back into school work as a principal in the Canton Public Schools until he retired in 1989. He moved to Bradenton, Florida for the next fifteen years before moving to Brandon in 2005. He and his wife of 65 years, the former Shirley Ann Adams of Pickford, Michigan, spent many years traveling around the US in their motor home. They also enjoyed square and round dancing wherever they travelled. Dick was a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason, Phi Delta Kappan, former President of the Bear Creek Water Association and of the Villas at the Reservoir Homeowner's Association and member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Brandon. Richard is survived by his wife, Shirley and their three sons, all retired Army pilots and their spouses: Colonel Richard (Rem) MacNealy and Ginger of Huntsville, Alabama; Colonel Bradly MacNealy and Duncan of Inverness, and Brigadier General Kelly MacNealy and Libby of Madison. He is also survived by his grandchildren Sergeant First Class Bradly Jr. and his wife, Leah of Inverness; Brittany and her husband Robert Gonzalez of St John, US Virgin Islands, Rachel Wesson and her husband Taylor (DC) of Huntsville, AL; and Nathan of Madison. Richard was also able to enjoy his two great grandchildren before he passed, Haddie Mac Wesson and Robert (RJ) Gonzalez lll. Richard loved spending time with his grandchildren operating farm machinery, picking pecans, and watching catfish harvesting operations at Eagle Lake and Lake Dawson Plantation in the Delta. Mr. MacNealy will be interned in the family Mausoleum in Donaldson, MI. In lieu of flowers, Richard requested donations be made to the Alzheimer's Mississippi, 855 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 501, Ridgeland, MS 39157, in honor of the love of his life Shirley, whom he was devoted to, and cared for, for so many years. Join us to celebrate Richard's lifeat Sebrell Funeral Home, 425 North Park Drive, Ridgeland MS from 3 to 5 on Sunday, November 12th. Published in Clarion Ledger from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12, 2017.
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