Marion Alberta McNeill

Marion (Yost) McNeill, age 95, was called home by her heavenly Father on January 13, 2017. Her final journey was quiet and peaceful for herself and her family. Marion came to Sanford with her groom in 1939. She had to learn a new way of life as New York was the only home she knew. I remember her stories of dealing with the Florida temperatures, not having a change in seasons, learning to cook southern style, dealing with things like grits, greens, gardens, and having to live with Florida bugs like roaches, ants, flies, fleas, and snakes. Florida was not her idea of a great place to spend the rest of her life. After a couple of years she got sand in her shoes and embraced Florida as her own. She supported her husband as they started a wholesale chrysanthemum farm on the east side of Sanford. They maintained this business for thirty five years and were well known around the area for the big “football mums” supplied to the retailers during football season. Marion worked on the farm along with her husband and brother, Karl Yost. She never had a driver’s license and never learned to swim. Marion enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, boating, camping, and having friends and relatives over for cookouts. She loved helping others, having children around, and having pets of their own. They bought their first home on the outskirts of Sanford, now 24th Street and Elm Avenue. She continued to live there for 66 years. She then moved in with her daughter for the remainder of her life. She was predeceased by her husband of 48 years, James “Mack” McNeill, and her eldest daughter Carol Mitchell. She is survived by her daughter, Betty E. Parker and partner John Sullivan, her granddaughters Lisa & Tim Hill of Carnesville, GA, Debbie & Angel Trasente of Cumming, GA, grandsons Robert & Hope Mitchell of Geneva, and Chris & Bobbi Butler of Sanford. She has eleven Great Grand Children and eight Great-Great Grand Children. A celebration of life will be held at Baldwin-Fairchild–Oaklawn Chapel in Sanford on Friday, January 20, 2017, one o’clock for visitation and two o’clock for services. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Hospice of the Comforter, Florida Hospital Foundation, 550 East Rollins Street, Sixth Floor, Orlando, FL 32803.