John Henry Neville

John Henry Neville, son of David James Neville and Evelyn Gertrude Neville, was born in Boston, Massachusetts on February 28, 1946. He departed this life on July 19, 2022. He was the 12th child of thirteen children.

John’s devotion to his loving wife Patricia Neville, daughters Sheila, Ebony & Rudy’s family, grandchildren Sherrod (predeceased), Marquies, Angel, Myesha, Charley-Danielle, TréVionté, great grandchildren Elenah, Julian, Loyal, Robert, Olympia & de facto son Jeffrey’s family, and Lloyd was clear. John is loved and he will be missed by his brothers Clem (Gerri), Eugene (Ruth), Donald (Marsha), sisters, Gertrude, Evelyn, Jeanette, in-laws Beverly (Peter) and a host of nieces and nephews.

John worked in construction for many years before he became a Technical Illustrator for Raytheon. His passion however was Art. He retired before he moved to Tempe, Arizona in 2004.

In talent and in spirit John, was the epitome of an Artist. He has exhibited his work for over fifty (50) years in multiple states. His creative genius took many forms from oil paintings to wire sculptures. His work is a marvel to all who view it.

John was known for his artistic talent, but he was cherished for the deep, lasting bonds he created with family and friends. He freely shared his heart and whatever he had that someone may need, whether material, intellectual or emotional. He was quick witted, he would ‘tell it like it is’ and was very funny. He brought joy and laughter to all.

“One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.” Jim Rohn

Eulogy- John Henry Neville

The Bible tells us, if we live a faithful life, we will be rewarded and crowned with glory in Heaven. We know this is where John is now.

Who was this man, John Henry Neville? He was life, so full of talent and ideas. He was a powerful presence of joy. He had this remarkable joy under the worst circumstances. He gave joy to all of us. He cooked, though he could not eat. He created designs out of magazines and available materials, waking up with the birds and letting his ideas come to life.

His artwork was exhibited throughout the Northeastern states and Arizona. John has shared his expertise with youth and adults, at centers and in academic settings. He was a guest lecturer at Pine Manor College, Boston, Massachusetts. He was accomplished in wood, wire, ink, paper, acrylic and oil. At Art exhibitions patrons were amazed at how varied his style and media were. He was especially proud of winning first prize in a juried art show in Montclair NJ for his oil painting ‘All I Love’ and that his oil ‘Cycling’ was featured in the Montclair Times newspaper.

John loved classic black & white movies and TV westerns, especially ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Wagon Train’, ’Rifleman’ and ‘Have Gun Will travel’. He would watch them repeatedly. He collected antiques such as a child’s wooden rocker, and a Remington typewriter. He treasured anything representing yesteryear.

In Arizona, often you would find him at the local ponds, fishing for catfish and bass. His proudest moment however was when he caught a giant Wahoo while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

John liked to have fun. He was a member of a championship 1st place bowling team. Entertaining and games came easy to John. ‘Left-Right-Center’, ‘Poker’, ‘Backgammon’, ‘Chess’ you name it. Cooking became a passion. He was known for his chicken wings and spareribs.

And who could forget Halloween. The annual Halloween costume party where life size props and moving figures were a must! Themes changed every year, spooky but fun. Decorating and setup took months, as John created the prop figures and displays.

John was partial to ‘John’s way’ of doing things. He would say ‘that’s not how you do it’ and would go into teaching mode. He knew what he wanted out of life and was unapologetic about his likes and dislikes.

The most important thing to John was his family. He was the ultimate provider, protector and he treasured each person. When you became John’s friend, you too came under the family umbrella.

How do we say goodbye to a man such as this? We thank God for him. We say Hello to him each time we remember a funny antic or phrase, or gaze at his amazing creations. We keep loving him because it brings comfort and endears us to his spirit. We love and honor him through the love he shared with us. We look at him through the resemblances and patterns of his children and grandchildren.

Thank you, John, for living, loving, and giving yourself to us.

Rest Well good and faithful servant!

A celebration of life for John will be held Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery, 10940 East Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85248.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.valleyofthesunfuneralhome.com for the Neville family.