George Richard Neeley

Dick Neeley was born September 3, 1939, in Kansas City, MO. After WW II, his family moved to Altadena, CA, where he graduated from John Muir High School as Class Valedictorian in 1957. He continued his education with an academic scholarship to Stanford University, graduating in 1961. Dick became fluent in German while studying abroad in Beutelsbach at Stanford in Germany. He was accepted to Harvard Medical School where he graduated with his medical degree in 1965. Dick settled in Denver for his internship and residency in General Surgery at Colorado General Hospital where he was Chief Resident from 1970-1971. After his formal education was completed, he served in the U.S. Army at the USAH in Augsburg, Germany and was honorably discharged after three years. Dick returned to Denver and began his career in private practice with Foothills Surgical Associates located at Lutheran Medical Center.

Brilliant and multitalented, Dick was an avid and accomplished sailor and navigated his 44’ ketch “Woodstock” from the Florida Keys to the Bahamas and Venezuela. A meticulous craftsman and pilot, he built his own airplane and flew over 1,000 hours throughout the Rocky Mountain states. A serious bicyclist, Dick cycled throughout Europe on several occasions, most often with his sister Patty, and in 2014 celebrated his 75^th birthday with a week-long ride across Bavaria, Germany to Kufstein, Austria with several family members. A resident of Floyd Hill for over 40 years, Dick owned many Golden Retrievers (the only acceptable breed) and was well known to the neighbors he passed on his daily dog walk.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017, Dick lived with grace and determination as his health sadly and inescapably declined over the last several years.

A beloved father, grandfather, brother and friend, Dick will be sorely missed. He is preceded in death by his parents, George and Maxine Neeley, and sister Marilyn Pisciotta. Dick is survived by his daughters Christine Lundstrom (Russell), Maureen Massidda (Roberto), and Kathleen Neeley; siblings Jim Neeley (Jill), Patricia Hughes (Dan), and Robert Neeley; grandchildren Kayla, Sofia, Erik, Max, Luca, and Sam, along with many nieces and nephews.

Donations in Dick’s remembrance may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, dedicated to improving care and advancing research toward a cure.