Francis X. McNeil, 91: WWII Vet, Pharmacist, Walmart Greeter

Francis X. McNeil, 91, of Hampton, died peacefully in his sleep, Sunday, December 15, 2013 at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

He was born in Somerville, MA, September 22, 1922, the last of 10 children of the late Wilbert and Frances (Barry) McNeil. Fran was raised in Somerville and graduated from Somerville High with the Class of 1942.

After a tour with the Navy during World War II, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the Northeastern University School of Pharmacy in 1950. Fran opened McNeil’s Pharmacy of Somerville in the 1950s before relocating his family to Hampton in 1965. He had worked as a pharmacist with Palmer’s Pharmacy of Hampton, Green’s Pharmacy of Newburyport, MA, Wentworth-Douglas Hospital Pharmacy of Dover, Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center Pharmacy and then retired from The Rogers VA Medical Pharmacy of Bedford, MA in the late 1990's.

In his retirement years he worked as a greeter at the Walmart in Seabrook. He was a faithful communicant of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church of Hampton and was a member and past president of the Holy Name Society. Fran retired from the US Naval Reserves as a Hospital Corpsman Chief Petty Officer in 1978.

Family members include his sons, Robert F. McNeil and Paul E. McNeil and his wife Bonnie and his daughter Peggy Russ and her husband Frank, all of Hampton, his grandchildren, whom meant the world to him, Kimberly Russ and her fiancé Devin Cronin and Cody F. Russ, also of Hampton, his beloved granddogs Ivan, Teddy and Dexter and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was the husband of the late Marilyn R. (Coogan) McNeil who died in 2005. Fran was also predeceased by his siblings, James, John, Richard and Louis McNeil, Marion Sullivan, Lillian Donlan, Peg Dunnigan, Alice Painter and Isabel "Sis" Skakum.

A graveside service will be held at 11 AM on Monday, December 23, 2013 at the High Street Cemetery, Hampton. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NH SPCA, PO Box 196, Stratham, NH 03885.


Obituary courtesy of Remick and Gendron Funeral Home