Beverly S. McNeil

Beverly S. McNeil was born in Loraine, Ohio, to Alice Louise Snyder and Harry P. Snyder. Bev’s father died of heart complications from rheumatic fever when she was 5 years old. Her mother died of cancer in 1976. Bev is survived by her husband, Chuck McNeil; a brother, John Snyder; a sister, Pat Chalmers; stepson Brian McNeil; stepdaughters Karen Sass and Linda Windom; and four grandchildren. She graduated from Berea High School in Berea, Ohio, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and a cheerleader, and was elected May Queen. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1959 with a degree in speech and hearing therapy. She did graduate work at the University of Colorado. She was a speech and hearing therapist in schools in Adrian, Mich.; Akron, Ohio; Fort Plains, N.Y.; San Francisco, Calif.; and South Lake Tahoe, Calif. She also did work in a children’s hospital in San Diego, Calif. She met her husband-to-be, Chuck, on the tennis courts at Lake Tahoe. When Chuck was appointed a Fulbright Professor to the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Bev decided to join him in Africa. They were married on Dec. 18, 1970, in Tanzania. On returning to Corvallis, Bev attended graduate school at Oregon State University. She received a degree in counseling and guidance. She worked as a counselor at the career planning and placement center. When Hewlett-Packard Co. opened up in Corvallis, Bev took a job in the human resources department. She worked there until her husband took a position as head national track coach of the Israeli Sports Federation to prepare them for the Moscow Olympic Games. Bev and Chuck spent a year in Israel. Upon returning to Corvallis, Bev worked in insurance and securities with Allstate, Equitable Savings and Loan, Bank of America and U.S. Bank. She went through that period when some banks were being taken over. She received her real estate license and worked for Coldwell Banker and then Keller Williams, when Sue Long opened up. Bev loved music and was active in it wherever she went. She was active in a number of local and state choirs. Her highlights were singing with the Israeli Philharmonic Choir for the anniversary of Israel, with Zubin Mehta conducting; and singing with the Oregon Choir in Carnegie Hall in New York. Bev was active in a number of civic organizations. She was a past president of the Altrusa Club of Corvallis, a past president of the Tillicum Dance Club and an active member of the Benton County Republican Women. Bev won a hard-fought battle with leukemia in 2008, and was on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s national call list for counseling other individuals with leukemia. A celebration of Bev’s life will take place at 1:30 p.m. July 17 at McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be given to the Altrusa Club of Corvallis.

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Beverly S. McNeil

August 7, 1937 - June 29, 2013