Mary Neil

Mary V. Neil Mary V. Neil died January 14, 2013, at the age of 100 at her home. On October 1, 2012, she celebrated her centennial birthday with a party at Stratford House, where she lived for the past 15 years. Friends from that retirement community and her church community were present to help in the celebration, as were her children. A native of Wilmette, Illinois, she lived in the Chicago area until relocating in Danville, Virginia in 1983. Mary was an avid gardner, a dabbler in painting, a dedicated bridge player and enjoyed traveling with her extended family and friends. Ms. Neil was a high school graduate of St. Mary's Academy at Notre Dame University, where her father was an all American in both track and football. She then attended Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, she was hailed as a beauty queen, and often did some fashion modeling for Marshall Field and Company in Chicago. After graduation from Northwestern, she married Harry Neil, who pre-deceased her in 1982. She is survived by her daughter, Connie Neil Fletcher (Whitlow) of Danville, her son Bill Neil of Seattle and Bill's wife, Anita and her son Tom of Sacramento and his wife Tomoko. While in Danville, Mary was active with The Wednesday Club, Project Literacy and worked with Sacred Heart first graders one morning a week, helping them with their reading. She was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The family would like to give a very special thanks to the caregiver group, Helping Hands, which provided care and companionship to Mary during the last several years of her life. Donations can be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church. A Memorial Service will be held at Sacred Heart on Saturday, January 19, at 11:00 AM. There will be a visitation in the Commons Area of the church from 10 AM-11AM prior to the service. Townes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Neil family.