John D. Neary, of Issaquah WA, passed away on March 31, 2019 at 87 years of age. Born May 3, 1931 in Mankato, MN to Everad and Ella Neary. John was a 1949 graduate of Loyola High School. He spent four years in the Air Force during the Korean War as an Air Traffic Controller spending three years of that time at Rhein Main Air Force Base which was at the time the air traffic control facility for both military and civil operations at Frankfurt, Germany. He received and honorable discharge in 1954 with the rank of Technical Sergeant. He graduated from Parks College of Aeronautical Technology, St. Louis University with a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Administration in 1956. It was during this period that he met Venelda Lamarre who was a student in the nursing program at St. Louis University. They were married on Sept. 2 1957 in Mankato, MN and took up residence in Minneapolis, MN where John had accepted employment with Honeywell, Inc. as a Marketing Specialist handling avionic products in the Aeronautical Division. John’s business career spanned 36 years and almost all of it in the aerospace industry with marketing and/or management assignments in Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; Frankfurt, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France; and Bellevue WA. Including his Air Force assignment, he spent 10 years in Europe and considered those years to be the highlight of his military and business career. His last international assignment was a four-year tour as the Vice President, Sundstrand Aerospace Europe based in Paris, France with sales management responsibility for Europe, Africa, India, Israel, and the Middle East.
John and Venelda retired in 1993 and moved form Clyde Hill, WA to Sun Lakes, AZ and subsequently to Issaquah, WA in 2011. After retiring John enjoyed traveling, golf, and wood carving. They moved to. John is survived by his four sons and their families: Timothy (Lisa) of Medicine lake, MN, Thomas (Kara) of Sammamish, WA, Patrick (Helen) of Beaconsfield, England and Paul (Cindy) of Woodinville, WA along with twelve grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Venelda, his parents, and a brother, Robert of Anoka, MN.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on April 15, 2019 at St. Josephs Catholic Church, 220 Mountain Park Blvd SW, Issaquah WA 98027 at 1pm with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements by Barton Family Funeral Service & internment at Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, WA.