Image Grosse Pointe Rotarian of the Year in 2002 --

Dr. McNeill died on Thursday, October 18, 2012. A Memorial Service will held be Wednesday October 24th at 3:30 p.m., Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, 16 Lakeshore, Grosse Pointe Farms. Our condolences go out to Marcy and the entire McNeill family. Our Club will miss him.

In lieu of flowers family requests donations to Rotary International.

For more on his life, click on more

 

He was born February 2, 1924, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Maude Simmons and Clarence Ernest McNeill. He completed undergraduate studies at Yale University. In the Spring of his Senior year, the Glen Miller Air Force Van came to Yale to recruit during World War II, and he joined the Air Force. After two weeks of pilot training, he learned that there was no longer a need for more pilots, and that his best option was to join the Army and study medicine. He was accepted directly into the University of Nebraska Medical School in the Army Specialized Training Program in the Spring of 1945. Upon graduation, he completed his Internship at the Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, his Surgical Residency at the University of Michigan, and later his Fellowship at Wayne State University.

Just prior to starting medical school, he married Marcy Jean Bauer on December 22, 1945, in Omaha, Nebraska. They were married almost 67 years. He started his Grosse Pointe practice 1956, and he and Marcy moved to Grosse Pointe in 1957, where they raised their family.

Dr. McNeill was Chief of Surgery three times at Bon Secours Hospital, Grosse Pointe, and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He also served as faculty to surgical residents at Wayne State University (WSU).

He worked all night during the 1967 Detroit Riots, in which 457 people were injured and 43 died. The Dean of the Medical School at WSU once sought out his son to tell him that when he needed surgery, he went to Roger McNeill, because he had the "best pair of hands anywhere!"

Dr. McNeill was also very active in the community serving as Worshipful Master of Corinthian Lodge; Rotary Club leading fundraiser for many years, with perfect attendance for 30 years; Grosse Pointe Park City Councilman for ten years, Grosse Pointe Shores Foundation Board of Trustees; Member, Circumnavigator's Club and English Speaking Society; President, Torch Club International; Member, Country Club of Detroit; Member, Detroit Athletic Club; and University of Michigan Football season ticket holder for over 50 years, Moslem Shrine, and 33rd Degree Scotish Rite, and the Hundred Club.

Dr. McNeill loved the practice of medicine, loved living in Grosse Pointe, and loved his summer visits to Colorado, where his father had built a cabin in Allen's Park in 1939. He used to say, "If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing!" How many of us could say that?

Dr. McNeill is survived by his wife Marcy, his son Douglas and Anne McNeill; his daughter Nancy and Mike Ziemba; grandchildren Lindsey McNeill; Jeff and Jamie Ziemba; Scott and Joanna Ziemba; Luke and Megan Terra; great-grandchildren Sidney Ziemba; Anam Terra and Oran Terra.