Mr. McNealy was born September 1, 1925, in Smith Center, Kansas, the oldest child, to Frank Levi McNealy and wife, Mary Mildred Van Cleave McNealy. His family moved to Emmett, Idaho in 1935. He graduated from Emmett High School in 1943. During World War II, he served in Company B, 345th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division and participated in battle action in southern France, the Battle of the Bulge, Germany, Belgium and Czechoslovakia. He received the Bronze Star Medal, the European Campaign Medal with three battle stars, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and Expert shooting badges. He graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He married Marjorie Esther Shorten in 1952 in California. He reluctantly moved to Sacramento, California where he worked for 19 years as an engineer with the State of California. After a two year tour overseas, he moved his family to El Paso, Texas. He was a licensed professional engineer in the field of civil engineering, continuing until his retirement in 1988. He was a charter member of the VFW Post 4900 in Emmett, Idaho. He and his wife moved to Midland, Texas in 2005 and resided there until their deaths.
During his life, he was an avid hunter, he enjoyed history, writing, and golf. He was preceded in death by his wife and two brothers, Forrest McNealy and Benjamin McNealy. Delbert is survived by his sister, Bethene Pulliam, of Oregon; his five children, Bethene Krauser and husband, Kent, of Lake Mary, Florida, Katherine Bradshaw and husband, David, of Garden Ridge, Texas, Timothy Frank McNealy and wife, Karen, of Midland, Texas, Caroline Leibsle and husband, Doug, of Lexington, Kentucky, and Frederick Joseph McNealy and wife, Lori, of San Antonio, Texas; eight grandchildren, Timothy R. McNealy, Anthony McNealy, Barbara McNealy, Erica Bradshaw Sloan, Mary Claire Bradshaw Sowell, Taylore Leibsle, Richard McNealy and Patrick McNealy and three great grandchildren, Madyson, Aubrey and Estelle.
Arrangements under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home, Midland, TX.
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