Robert Mills McNeel III

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, November 12th at 1:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church 2727 N. Loop 336 W Conroe with Rev. Dr. David H. Green officiating. The service will be streamed live on the church’s Facebook page. The interment with military honors will take place at Garden Park Cemetery at 801 Teas Rd in Conroe at 3:00 p.m. later that afternoon.

Mr. McNeel was born July 21, 1926 in Marietta, Georgia to Robert Mills McNeel, Jr. and Lila Smith McNeel. The family moved to Miami, Florida in 1934 where Mills eventually achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated Miami High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He became a Plank Owner (original crew member) of the USS Harlan R. Dickson DD 708 as a Fire Controlman Third Class and would eventually receive eight medals for his service.

He graduated from the University of Miami in 1949 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and was a proud member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Mills would reenlist in the Naval Reserves at a Fighter Squadron Ordinance Officer and later join the Navy Intelligence Reserve in Fort Lauderdale. He would enter the Navy Reserves in 1969 at the rank of Lieutenant Commander. While residing in Miami, Mills worked for The Butler Insurance Agency as an agent and was active in the Surfside-Bal Harbour-Bay Harbor Islands Chamber of Commerce where he would eventually serve as President 1961-62. He was also an active member of the Miami chapter of Kiwanis and the United Fund of Dade County.

In 1964, he met the love of his life, Marion Snider and was engaged three weeks later. They married on December 12th at The Church of St. John the Divine in Houston. They resided in Miami Shores, Florida for nine years and had two children, Raymond Mills McNeel and Christine Lee McNeel Goff. They were both active members and Sunday School teachers at Miami Shores Presbyterian Church.

In 1972, Mills and Marion moved their family to Conroe, Texas. Mills became a licensed Real Estate Broker and opened his own agency, McNeel Realty Company, specializing in Farm and Ranch properties. He would serve as President of the Conroe Board of Realtors in 1975. Mills was also a very active member of The Rotary Club of Conroe and Board Member of the Montgomery County United Way.

Shortly after moving to Conroe, Mills and Marion became members of the First Presbyterian Church. They were devoted members for 40 years and Mills served once as Deacon and twice as Elder. There they met many of their closest friends and shared in the highs and lows of the lives of the entire congregation.

Mills loved golf, both playing it and watching it. He was a member of both the Conroe Country Club and Walden on Lake Conroe Golf Club and received over a dozen plaques and trophies from tournament play. He would want you to know he proudly shot two Holes-in-One in his life, the first on January 1, 1972 at Memorial Golf Course in Houston, and the second on June 29, 2007 at Conroe Country Club.

He equally loved chess. He played with friends for decades and was the Tournament Sponsor of the Texas State Chess Championship in 1979 held at Conroe High School.

Mills is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Lila McNeel Campbell and Jean McNeel Garni and his wife. He is survived by his children, as well as his son-in-law, Dr. Gary Goff, who resides with his wife in Dallas and his two beloved grandchildren, Lauren and Marie Claire Goff who reside in North Carolina. He is also survived by his nephews Robert and Ricky Garni of North Carolina and nieces Deborah Clay and Ann Heinig of Georgia.

The family wishes to thank the nurses and therapists of Allheal Home Health and Texas Elite Hospice for all their warmth and kindness above and beyond their professional responsibilities this year.

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