Robert Bernard Neary

Funeral service for the late Robert Bernard Neary, 79, was held October 11 in St. Ninian Cathedral, Antigonish, with Father Donald MacGillivray officiating. Mr. Neary died October 7, 2018, in RK MacDonald Nursing Home, Antigonish. Readers at the funeral Mass were Candy Neary, Chris Currie and Tracy Simmonds. Tracy, Lloyd and Isaac Simmonds presented the offertory gifts. Eucharistic Ministers were Anne Sorensen and Karen Schuegraf. Music was provided by Tyrus Wallace. Active pallbearers were Pat Neary, Jerome Neary, Joe Neary, Jim MacPhie, Bernie Heffernan and Jim Sorensen. Honorary pallbearers were Lloyd Farrell, Peter Alex, Louis MacEachern, Tommy Connors, Joe Broussard and Mike MacDonald. Born April 7, 1939, he was a son of the late Miriam (Hanrahan) and Ralph Neary, Fairmont, Antigonish County. In his younger years, he trained with the Reserve Army from 1949-1951. He apprenticed with Gottschall Painting and Drywall to learn his trade and spent most of his work life as a drywall taper and painter. He took great pride in everything he did. He enjoyed woodworking and could lay his hands to most trades. He also enjoyed trapping, hunting with his hounds, fishing and going to dances and ceilidhs with his wife. He was happiest in his woodlot shearing his Christmas trees, harvesting firewood and continuously keeping an eye out for Birds Eye Maple, for which he found a tree to provide enough flooring for his living room. He enjoyed telling stories of his younger days, lumbering with horses along with some of his brothers, and father to assist in providing for a very large family and farm. He enjoyed a good tug of war, both as a puller, and a spectator, and passed his passion onto his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Burns); two sons, Robert (Terry) Fairmont Road; Jim (Jodie) Calgary; two daughters, Tracy (Lloyd) Simmonds, Dartmouth; Cathy (Chris) Currie, Edmonton; four grandchildren, Justin (Melissa), Fairmont Road; Isaac, Dartmouth; Delainy, Ashton, Edmonton; six brothers, Jim, Frances (Donna), David (Patsy), Patrick, (Eileen), all of Fairmont; Joe (Marian), Cloverville; Jerome (Maria), Georgeville; nine sisters, Beatrice Campbell, Florence Smith, both of Ontario; Margaret MacDonald, Fairmont; Evelyn Cameron, Cloverville; Eleanor (Bunny) Kalin, Saskatchewan; Patsy (Jim) MacPhie, Cape George; Ellen Parsons, Lloydminster; Brenda (Bernie) Heffernan, Malignant Cove; Dorothy Manship, Sydney. He was predeceased by two brothers, Eugene; Howard Bernard, in infancy; sister-in-law, Janet Neary; five brothers-in-law, Wally Campbell, Bill Smith, Francis MacDonald, David Kalin, Stan Parsons. Memorial donations may be made to the R.K MacDonald Nursing Home Foundation, Lights of Love, in memory of Bob Neary. Online condolences: www.MacIsaacs.ca