Johnny McNeese
Jerseyville | Save
Johnny Ray 'John' McNeese, 69, passed away peacefully at 8:15 a.m., Saturday, August 15, 2020 at Alton Memorial Hospital.
He was born on November 5, 1950 in Troup, Texas and was one of seven children born to the late Edwin Percy and Jewel Mae (Broom) McNeese.
John spent the early years of his childhood in Texas, prior to his family relocating to Southern Missouri where he was a 1969 graduate of Bosworth R-V High School. After graduation, he made the honorable choice to serve our Country as a member of the United States Marines during the Vietnam War. Upon returning home from the service, he enrolled at Central Missouri State University, where he graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications.
He married the former Linda Scharf on March 29, 1997 at Harmony Baptist Church in Medora. John and Linda spent the majority of their 23 years of marriage residing in Bethalto, prior to settling in Jerseyville in 2016.
John never knew a stranger and any encounter with him, no matter how brief, left you feeling like you had a friend for life. His larger than life personality attributed to his successful, lifelong career in sales, working for various companies in the color industry throughout the years. It was, however, the title of 'PaPa' that John was most successful at and he proudly doted on his grandchildren at every opportunity. He had a deep love for the game of golf, and his family finds comfort in knowing that John left this world doing what he loved.
Surviving are his wife, Linda McNeese of Jerseyville; a son, Tyler McNeese of Bethalto; five step children, Matt Davies of Godfrey; Rachel Davies of Bethalto; Mark Hutock of East Alton; Zoe (Tony) Chin of Jerseyville and Ashley (Joey) Smith of Glendale, Missouri; fourteen grandchildren, Rebecca, Kaity, Jeffrey, Zachary, Jaiden, Breyden, Juliette, Connor, Abby, Kameron, Karter, Kori, Audrey and Logan; as well as a brother and sister in-law, Jimmy and Kathy McNeese of Cleburne, Texas.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Edwin and Danny McNeese; as well as three sisters, Shirley Blackstock, Frances McNeese and Elaine Ratliff.
Due to current State of Illinois restrictions on social distancing the visitation is limited to 50 people or less at a time inside the funeral home. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 21, 2020 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville. Visitation will continue from 10 a.m. until time of funeral services at 11 a.m., Saturday, at the funeral home. Rev. Troy Crane will officiate. The family would like to request that mask be worn.
In honor of John's service to our country, military honors will be conducted by the Jerseyville American Legion Post #492.
In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials may be given in care of Crawford Funeral Home, for a memorial designation to be determined at a later date.
Memories may be shared by visiting www.crawfordfunerals.com
Crawford Funeral Home
