Neil Blaine Grissom passed away peacefully in his sleep at home in Jacksonville, Florida at age 76 on Monday, July 15, 2019 after a 9-month battle with aggressive Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Neil was born on June 2, 1943 in Covington, Kentucky and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1962 after graduating from Holmes High School. He completed basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, followed by additional jungle warfare training in Camp Schwab, Okinawa. Neil participated in some of the most extensive training given to any military unit in the world. He then received orders to go to Viet Nam as Marine Reconnaissance for the 3rd Recon Battalion, Operation Shu-Fly, in support of the CIA and other security forces during 1962-1963 (before military action in that country was at its peak.) For the safety of our country, Marine Recon is called upon by the President of the United States to be the eyes and ears of the Marine Corps, CIA, and all Special Ops divisions.
Neil was granted 100% Permanent and Total disability for service connected injuries (cancers) sustained from Agent Orange exposure during the Viet Nam conflict. His military decorations include: Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Viet Nam Service Medal with Bronze Star, Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal with device.
In addition to serving as Treasurer of Third Recon Battalion Association’s Charlie Company since 2008, he was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans (lifetime member.)
Over the course of 37 years Neil was employed by C & O Railroad in Cincinnati, Ohio; C & O System Board in Richmond, Virginia; and CSX Transportation, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida. Prior to moving to Neptune Beach, Florida in 1989, he lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he married his wife Barbara in 1972, and Richmond, Virginia, where his daughter Wesley was born in 1980. In 2003 he retired from CSX as Senior Director of Labor Relations.
Neil enjoyed Florida’s warm weather, all things dogs, music from the 1950s and 1960s (especially Van Morrison), refurbishing historic rifles, target shooting, and watching boats sail along the Intracoastal Waterway from his lanai.
He was preceded in death by his father, Neil Garland Grissom, of Harlan County, Kentucky and
his mother, Dora Florence (Felts), of Corbin, Kentucky; half-sisters Louise (Wurth) and her daughters, Jean (James Knauf) and June (Jump); Lenora “Snooks” (Warner), Betty; and half-brother Pete Grissom (Clarabelle).
Neil is survived by his wife and best friend of 47-1/2 years, Barbara (Williams), and his loving daughter, Wesley Gibbon (Travis) of Neptune Beach, Florida. He is also survived by his niece, Lois Ann Brockman (son Andrew); nephew James Keith Warner (Connie); and great nephew Steven Knauf (wife Lori, sons Kyle and Konnor), all of Northern Kentucky.
Neil’s cremains will be interred at the Memorial Garden at St. Paul’s By The Sea Episcopal Church in Jacksonville Beach as well as the Columbarium at Jacksonville National Cemetery. A portion of his ashes will be scattered at the Marine Corps bases in Quantico, VA and Camp Pendleton, CA (near San Diego’s Marine Corps Recruit Depot.) Additionally, a token amount of Neil’s cremains will be launched to orbit the earth in a 2020 memorial spaceflight mission.
A memorial service with military honors will be held on Saturday, August 31st at 10:30am at St. Paul’s By The Sea Episcopal Church in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Deacon Reverend Bill Carroll will officiate. Following the service, the family will receive friends at a Celebration of Life reception at Marker 32 restaurant in Jacksonville and all are invited to attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial gifts to K9sForWarriors.org
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