R.D. McNeil

R.D. (Robert Dale) McNeil, 55, of Wayne City, IL passed away on September 27, 2023 at his home.  He was born December 11, 1967 to Robert & Darlene McNeil.  On September 14, 1991 he married Connie (Dickey) McNeil, who survives. 

R.D. was most recently employed at Kincaid’s Hardware in Wayne City, where he enjoyed visiting with people while helping them with their home improvement projects.  Prior to that he held positions as a substitute mail carrier, sample making specialist, a setup technician at Hella, and worked his way up at Continental Tire in Mt. Vernon, IL and finished his tenure there as a supervisor in the passenger tire curing department.  He really enjoyed ride-sharing with some great friends during this time.

R.D. loved watching his daughter, Molly, dance and cheer and his son, Tanner, play basketball.  He was certainly their biggest fan.  He was very proud of how they did academically and is certain they will be successful in anything they do.  R.D. loved his family and spending time together more than anything.

R.D. loved to vacation.  It didn’t matter where you said you were going, he wanted to go.  Some of his favorite family vacations included Disney World, where they traveled together as a family probably 15-20 times; Memphis, where he was able to tour Graceland; and the Virgin Islands.  He also enjoyed attending sporting events like seeing the L.A. Lakers in Memphis, the Dallas Cowboys last fall in Dallas, and back when the Cardinals were good, he enjoyed catching a game at Busch Stadium.  He enjoyed trying to snow ski on a New Year’s Eve several years ago in Mason, OH.  He really enjoyed laughing at a bundled-up friend who fell and was unable to get back up.

R.D. was somewhat of a pack rat and held on to anything his wife or mother didn’t confiscate and dispose of.  Connie remembers when they were getting married and Darlene was helping them move into their first home, a trailer where the windows leaked every time it rained, she said “You’ll have to watch him, he wants to keep everything.”  Connie would come to realize over the years how true that statement really was.  You just never know when you might need a 4” piece of 2x4 or a 6” piece of rusty wire.  This trait was beneficial when R.D. had to build a float or trunk-or-treat display for one of the many events Connie signed him up for.

In his younger years, he enjoyed hanging with his many friends at the “trailer.”  So many crazy, fun memories were had there that he still talked about to this day.

R.D. is survived by his wife Connie McNeil, children Molly and Tanner, parents Robert & Darlene McNeil, sister Robyn Austin (Lindy), mother-in-law Beverly James, nephews Gavin (Darby) Dickey, Tyler (Kaycee) Dickey, niece Tabitha (Kaleb) Miller, and a special niece Marissa McNeil Vaughan who preceded him in death.  He also really enjoyed his great nieces and great nephews: Kalel Dickey, Tessa, Kora, and Max Miller, and Skyler and Kayden Dickey.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at Young Funeral Home in Wayne City. 

A graveside funeral service will be held on Friday, September 29, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Victory Cemetery in Boyleston, IL with Pastor Rick Hayes officiating.  Those attending the graveside service are asked to meet directly at the cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers or gifts, memorial donations may be made towards an education fund for Molly and Tanner, and may be made to the care of Connie McNeil.  Memorials will be accepted at Young Funeral Home in Wayne City or at Fairfield National Bank.  Tanner will be attending SEMO in the Fall of 2024 and Molly is working towards an acceptance into a Physician Assistant program.

Online condolences, memories, and words of encouragement may be shared at www.youngfuneralhomellc.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of R.D. McNeil, please visit our floral store.