A memorial service for Dennis McNeil will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 26, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. The Rev. Eugene Egan will officiate. A time of fellowship will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in St. Catherine Cemetery in Luverne.
Dennis Eugene McNeil, 70, Luverne, died Tuesday, July 23, 2002, at Luverne Hospice Cottage.
Dennis McNeil was born to Claude Dewey and Mary Ellen (Penney) McNeil on July 24, 1931, at home in Montrose, S.D.
He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. He received seven battle stars while on the USS Mansfield DD 728 and participated in the invasion of Inchon, Korea.
He married Virginia (Ginger) Marie Liest on Nov. 25, 1953, in Beresford, S.D. He spent his entire adult life in the insurance business, owning insurance agencies in San Diego, Calif., and Luverne. In 1993, he sold his Luverne business to Minnwest Bank and continued to manage the agency until 1997. He was also a real estate broker and spent his most recent years with Rock Real Estate in Luverne.
Mr. McNeil was a past president of the Luverne Rotary and a Paul Harris Fellow, past president of the Southwest Region of the Independent Insurance Agents Association, past state director of the Independent Insurance Agents Association, chair of the Luverne Planning and Zoning, member of the Rock County Planning and Zoning 1975-79, chair of the Community Fund 1973, chair of Luverne Community Education 1978, director and past president of the Blue Mound Area Theatre Corporation.
He served eight years as a board member of the State of Minnesota Veterans Home Board where he and eight other volunteer members supervised five nursing homes for veterans. They built two new homes during his tenure, one in Luverne.
He was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, Knights of Columbus, Eucharistic minister at St. Catherine and Minnesota Veterans Home. He was also a member of the VFW, American Legion and other veteran organizations.
Survivors include his wife, Ginger McNeil, Luverne; three children, Dennis Gregory, Oak Harbor, Wash., Patrick (Kerry) McNeil, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Jane Marie McNeil, Luverne; two grandchildren, Michael and Lisa McNeil, Sioux Falls; two brothers, Daniel (Ocye) McNeil, Hampton, Va., and Robert (Mary) McNeil, El Paso, Texas; and two sisters, Mary Marcella (Nick) DeBates, San Diego, Calif., and Peggy (Denny) Fuehrer, Norfolk, Neb.
Mr. McNeil was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Harlan.
A tree will be planted in memory of Dennis McNeil by Hospice of Luverne Community Hospital.
Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Luverne, is in charge of arrangements.