Vinson McNeal

Vinse was the eldest of five children born to Melvin and Barbara McNeal. He graduated from William Harper High School and went on to become a union carpenter.  He was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in July 1980, an event he viewed as one of the defining moments of his life.  In June 1985 he married Cheryl Jackson. This union produced two children, Briana and Alex.  Vinse died of heart failure on December 12, 2020, near his home in Darien, IL, with his dear wife Cheryl by his side.  He was 58.

Vinse was a jovial, approachable, spiritual, warmhearted person. He loved life and as a result had many interests: he cooked, played football, fished, and took pride in his work as a builder.  He was the embodiment of a “people person”. He loved to laugh and had a gift for storytelling, and he could easily draw others to him by means of warm expressions, “corny” jokes, observations and even nicknames.  Vinse made his love for others evident and he was dearly loved in return as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and faithful friend to many.

Vinse was also a deep thinker. As a youth he pored over encyclopedias searching for knowledge, and throughout his life he could spend hours discussing his favorite subjects.  Without doubt, his favorite topic was the Bible.  He treasured the scriptural hope of a better life ahead in the near future.  He delighted in sharing this hope with others, even teaching himself Spanish to do so in a wider field.  Vinse especially treasured the Bible promise of a resurrection of the dead to a paradise Earth.  Vinse shared that hope with his family, and they look forward to the day they can welcome Vinse back to life with tears of joy and open arms.

Vinse was preceded in death by his father Melvin McNeal as well as his grandparents.

Vinse leaves behind a large family of bereaved ones: wife Cheryl; children Briana McNeal and Alex (Audrianna) McNeal; grandchildren Alana and Ariana McCollum and Ava McNeal; mother Barbara McNeal; sisters Sheila (Isaiah) Wilson and Karen Smith; brothers Jose (Marilyn) McNeal, Melvin (Lisa) McNeal, Tarez (Lisa) McNeal, Tracey McNeal, extended family the St. Clair’s and a host of relatives, friends, acquaintances, workmates and spiritual brothers and sisters who loved him and will miss him.

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