Ronald Neely

Ronald Gene Neely, the son of Elvis Verne and Fern Marie (Shafer) Neely, was born on March 2, 1931 at Mt. Ayr, Iowa. Ronald entered eternal rest on May 5, 2014 at his home in Creston, Iowa, at the age of eighty-three years.
Ronald lived most of his life in the Creston area. Ronald graduated from Cromwell High School with the Class of 1949. On February 10, 1952, he married Donna Jean McFee at Platte Center Presbyterian Church in Union County, Iowa. Ronald served in the United States Army from 1952 until 1954, during the Korean Conflict. He was stationed in Germany for eighteen months.
After his discharge from the Army, Ronald began driving the delivery truck for Omar Bakery in Primghar, Iowa. He and his family returned to Creston around 1955 and he worked for Iowa Southern Utilities, Purolator and was a mail carrier. Ronald then began farming in Union County and also worked for the Apco and Gulf gas stations. In 1976, the family moved to Glendale, Arizona. They lived in Glendale, Arizona for thirteen years and Winston, Oregon for eight years, then returned to Creston in 2001.
Ronald belonged to the Lions Club; Army Reserves; and the Eagles Lodge. He was a life member of the Theodore J. Martens VFW Post #1797.
Left to cherish Ronald’s memory are his wife, Donna (McFee) Neely, Creston; his daughter, Rhonda (Gary) Gelhaye, Waconia, Minnesota; his three grandchildren: Joshua Miller, San Francisco, California; Amanda Gelhaye Hill, Victoria, Minnesota; and Travis Gelhaye, Rogers, Minnesota; his two great-grandsons: Gage and Cam Hill, Victoria, Minnesota; his brother, Dale E. Neely, Santa Rosa, California; his sister, Joyce (Bob) Homan, Henderson, Nevada; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Preceding Ronald in death were his father in 1973; his mother in 2003; his son, Duane Neely in 2009; his grandson, Justin Neely Gelhaye in 1989; his twin brother, Donald Neely in 2004; his sister, Helen Evans in 2004; his two sisters-in-law: Norma Neely and Patricia Neely and his brother-in-law, John Evans.