NEIL, David Jr. 1920-1997

NEIL, BODLE, BILLERBECK

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/30/2012 at 17:15:59

Rites held For David Neil, Jr.

David Neil, Jr., 76, died May 17 at his home in Reinbeck.

Services were held at the new Life Assembly of God Church in Reinbeck at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20, with Pastor Roger Sieh officiating. Burial followed in the Reinbeck Cemetery.

David was born May 26, 1920, in Tama County. He was the son of David and Edna (Bodle) Neil, Sr. He attended Grant Township #9 and graduated from Dinsdale High School.

David worked for various farmers for several years before his marriage.

On June 16, 1946, he was united in marriage to Leora Billerbeck in the United Church of Christ in Reinbeck. The couple farmed for four years at the Adolph Wrage farm one mile south of the Amity Church and the 35 years on the Sieh farm one mile east of Reinbeck.

In 1985, David and Leora retired and built a house in Reinbeck in the Eastgate Addition.

David was a member of the United Church of Christ in Reinbeck. He was on the Co-op Board of Directors for 9 years, a 4-H leader for 11 years, and coached little league baseball for his son, Gary. In 1977, David won the IA Master Soybean Award for Grundy Co.

David was a lifelong farmer raising crops and livestock. He took great pride in his clean soybean fields that he, Leora and their crew would walk each summer. He enjoyed working with his Charlois cows and calves. David especially enjoyed delivering and selling eggs to area families. He also sold sweet corn by the honor system. He had a coffee can for his customers to put their money in.

David's love of farming continued until the night he died. He helped his son Gary finish planting the soybeans.

Watching sports, playing cards, fishing, being with children especially his grandchildren, traveling, spending the last two winters in Mission, Texas with his friends, spending time with his family, and just talking to people were what David loved the most.

He is survived by his daughter, Rhonda and her husband Dennis Koch of St. Ansgar; son, Gary and his wife Lynn of Reinbeck; 4 grandchildren, Grant and Kindra Koch of St. Ansgar and Ben and Rebecca Neil of Reinbeck; 3 sisters, Mary Neil, Alleene Webrand and Irma Thede, all of Reinbeck; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 May 1997