James McNeila

James Francis McNeila, 80, of The Villages, Florida died Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at his home surrounded by his family. James was born in the Bronx, NY on October 17, 1936, the son of Anthony and Mary (Gillespie) McNeila. He and wife Mary (Judy) raised their family in Carmel and Queens, NY. James spent his retirement dividing his time between Somers, NY and The Villages, Fl. James was a graduate of St John’s University, Queens, NY and later completed a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at New York University. He spent the majority of his professional career as a hospital administrator and was most recently part of the Senior Executive Team at Jamaica Hospital Center in Queens, NY. Jim was truly one of the good guys and was adored by family and friends alike. “Big Jim” made everyone feel comfortable and was well known for his ability to “ lighten the mood” with a good-hearted jibe or joke. Jim cared deeply for the people in this life and was always there to help someone in need of a job or someone who needed to be bailed out of a jam. He spent the majority of the past 8 years in The Villages, Florida. He loved golfing, computers, being with friends and family and often simply sitting on his lanai and smoking a good cigar. James was an adoring husband, father, brother, uncle and friend. He was the beloved husband of Mary J. Murphy McNeila who predeceased him in 2006. He is survived by his children, Mary B Hopwood and husband Jeffrey, Joseph J McNeila and wife Lillian, James G. McNeila and Anne Marie McNeila. James leaves his two granddaughters, Madeline McNeila and Hanna McNeila who were his pride and joy; and his loving siblings Maureen Lynch, Kathleen McNeila and Michael McNeila and wife Anne. He also leaves his sisters-in-law Patricia (Murphy) Baxter and husband Edward and Christina (Murphy) Ward and husband Joseph as well as many adoring nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: the Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, The Villages, Florida; St Jude’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee; or the NY Firefighters Burn Center Foundation, Bronx, New York.