Howard Sumner McNeil

Howard Sumner McNeil, 97, went to be with his creator and Lord Jesus Christ on August 2, 2016. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 o'clock in the morning on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at First Baptist Church with Rev. Jerry Howe, pastor of the church, officiating. Interment will follow in Northlawn Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Friday at the funeral home from 6 o'clock until 7 o'clock in the evening. Arrangements are entrusted to Morrison Funeral Directors. Howard was born October 18, 1918 to Minor and Corinne Light McNeil of Check, Virginia. He joined the Army Air Force on September 12, 1941. Howard met Ruby Gardenhire in Amarillo, Texas while in the service and they were married on May 8, 1944. They lived in Dumas, Texas where he worked for Diamond Shamrock as an operator. McNeil Rentals was his secondary job, whereas he provided homes for others to live in and continued to finance these homes for many families. He was a member of the First Baptist Church. Howard and Ruby had 2 sons, deceased as infants, and 3 daughters, Debra and Larry Tedford of Olathe, Kansas, Majhaunta and Johnny Edgmon of Highlandville, Missouri, and Camelia and James Elliott of Pilot, Virginia. He has 5 grandchildren, Micah Tedford of Kansas, Malachi and Beth Elliott of Texas, Faith Elliott Brantley and Jim Brantley of Colorado, Olivia Tedford of Kansas, and Elizabeth Tedford of Kansas. He was blessed with 2 great grandchildren, Joanna and Samuel Elliott of Austin, Texas. He is survived by his sisters, Mabel Light of Salem, Va, Lois Basham of Christiansburg, VA, Louise Shank of Roanoke, VA, and brother, Dr. Maynard 'Casey' McNeil and wife, Carol, of Washington, New Jersey. He had one brother, deceased, Jack McNeil of northern Virginia. He is survived by his brother-in-law, Andy Gardenhire and wife, Patricia of Memphis, Texas. He has many nieces, nephews, and cousins that he was close to. Special friends who were considered family that spent many hours with Howard while he lived in Missouri include Theresia Johns of Bullard, Texas, Breann and Cooper D Hargrove, 6, of Strafford, Mo, and Grace Kessinger, 1, of Highlandville, MO.