David Edward Neils' Obituary
David Edward Neils of Bellevue, Washington, passed away on Friday, August 16, 2019 at the young age of 73.
David was an honorable man, a dedicated father, a war veteran, and a businessman. He will be remembered for his witty sense of humor and remarkable ability to lighten the mood regardless of any situation. David had a strong moral compass and he valued doing the right thing above all else. He had a pragmatic approach to problem-solving and always respected a good fair-and-balanced debate. At his core, David was a private person who genuinely cared about his family and friends. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
David was born on August 8, 1946 in Libby, Montana, and grew up in Klickitat, Washington. He was the second of four sons of Edward and Betty Jo Neils. In 1968 he graduated from Linfield College in Oregon. Shortly after graduation, David served as a Lieutenant in the United States Army in the Vietnam War for almost two years. He earned the Silver Medal and Air Medal for his service.
After returning from Vietnam, David went back to school to earn his MBA at the University of Puget Sound and started a recruiting firm with three business partners. In 1980 he married Margo Fletcher. They lived in Bellevue and had two daughters, Alison and Jennifer. David was an active member of the Bellevue Club, where he often played basketball and tennis.
He worked as a Human Resources Manager in the aerospace industry for the Eldec Corporation for most of his career. In 1989 David and Margo divorced, but David remained a responsible and loving father to his daughters. He loved to travel with his daughters and took them on excursions every other weekend as well as on family vacations every summer. David was also an avid golfer and enjoyed playing many golf courses around the Puget Sound area.
After 30 years of working in Human Resources, he retired as the head of HR of the Ferry Systems at the Washington State Department of Transportation. In 2010 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Throughout the last nine years of his life, he faced the physical challenges of his disease with great dignity and bravery.
David is preceded in death by his father, Edward Walter Neils, and mother, Betty Jo (Bouska) Neils. He is survived by his two daughters, Alison Morse (Andrew) and Jennifer Nyberg (Zachary); two grandchildren, Gunnar and Lucille; three brothers, Christopher, Michael and Eric; many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
If you wish to send condolence gifts: In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be given to one of the following organizations:
- The Northwest Parkinson's Foundation
- American Parkinson's Disease Foundation
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Share your memories of David and condolences to the family by visiting the tribute wall.
A Celebration of Davids's Life will be held on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Saint Andrew's Lutheran Church in Bellevue, WA.
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