John W. McNeary was born October 29, 1938, in Aberdeen, SD, to Francis and Gertrude (Frank) McNeary. John completed his schooling in Aberdeen, graduating from Aberdeen High School in 1956.
John married his first wife, Norma Barker, in 1961, and they had their son, Roy, in 1962. In 1962, John was drafted into the United States Army as a wheeled vehicle mechanic, serving for one year in Fort Ord, CA. Upon the completion of his active duty service, John transitioned into the United States Army Individual Ready Reserve, serving for five years. Upon completion of his military service, John moved from southern California to Nevada and then to Keystone, SD, where he owned and operated a convenience store. After a few years of operating his convenience store,  John obtained his Emergency Medical Technician certification and served as an EMT in Keystone before moving to Rawlins, WY.
In Rawlins, John served as an EMT for the Wyoming State Penitentiary where he met his second wife, Mary Skvicalo. John moved to Lead, SD, in 1990 and he and Mary were wed on December 31, 1990. John and Mary welcomed their daughter, Keeli, in 1991. John and Mary moved to Savage, MN, in 2000. John worked as a maintenance supervisor for D.H Gustafson until his retirement in 2010. His retirement was spent cheering his daughter on through her college years at West Point and supporting her as she began her own Army career. John was also a devout Catholic, attending or viewing mass regularly until his passing.
John William McNeary, 81, died Sunday, April 26, 2020, at Golden Hills Regional Senior Care in Lead, SD. He will be greatly missed by his beloved family and friends.
John is survived by his wife, Mary McNeary of Minneapolis, MN; daughter, Keeli (Cole) Buehler of Manhattan, KS; sister, Frances Bock of Rapid City; his two granddaughters; and various nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his father, Francis; mother, Gertrude; brother, Paul; and son, Roy.
A mass, memorial services, and interment at Black Hills National Cemetery will be held at a later date.