Leominster- Bernard "Bernie" R. McNeill, 83, of Leominster, MA died in UMass Medical Center Worcester on February 13, 2020 following complications of a stroke.
Born December 19, 1936 in Leominster, he was the son of William and Gertrude (Landers) McNeill and lived here all of his life. He attended Julie Country Day School and graduated in the first graduating class of Notre Dame High School in Fitchburg in 1956. He entered the Air National Guard in service to our country.
He worked as an electronics technician for Raytheon in Maynard for many years. He also assisted his parents in managing the Franco-American Credit Union on Fourth Street in Leominster during the 1970's-80's. He was a hydrant repair machinist at H.R. Prescott and Sons in West Boylston until his retirement.
Bernie became one of the founding members of the Wachusett Ramblers Motorcycle Club in 1963 and remained active until the club disbanded in 1968. He held a number of elected positions including Club Recorder and was very good at organizing club events. Bernie was always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in the club needing it. He was very good at promoting club events. He was the ideal type of person one would want to have as a friend and fellow club member.
He was an avid yard sale fan attending both yard sales and auctions on a weekly basis for decades and having his own yard sales as often as he could. If you needed your lawnmower, snowblower or other mechanical or electrical item repaired, Bernie was the person to ask. For many years he traveled to Daytona, Florida for Bike week. He was a member of St. Leo's Church.
He leaves two brothers, Laurence C. McNeill of Leominster and Richard V. McNeill of Naples, Maine; four nieces and one nephew, a grandniece, a grandnephew and a great grandniece. He also leaves his best pal and constant companion, Coco2 in addition to his many friends at the Sterling Auction and throughout the community.
Calling hours will be at Wright-Roy Funeral Home, 109 West Street, Leominster, on Saturday morning at 9:30 for one hour prior to the funeral. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Leo's Church, 128 Main Street, Leominster, MA. Burial immediately following at St. Leo's Cemetery, 360 Lancaster Street, Leominster, MA.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to NEADS World Class Service Dogs, P.O. Box 1100, Princeton, MA 01541. Donations can be mailed in or made online through https://neads.org/
The family thanks the staff at Sunrise of Leominster for their loving care of Bernie during his time spent there.
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