Jeffrey Frederick McNeil

Jeffrey Frederick McNeil, age 52 years, of Lynn, formerly of Andover, passed away unexpectedly at his home shortly after testing positive for Covid. He was born in Lynn, MA as the son of Max Arvard and Mary Jane (Greehan) McNeil of Andover.
 

Jeff loved his family and friends more than anything in the world...except for maybe the New England Patriots, the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins, boating, fishing, scratch tickets, football pools, iced coffee, and iTunes gift cards.
 

Although Jeff's life was shorter than average, it is nothing less than miraculous that he made it as far as he did. As an infant, Jeff narrowly survived a difficult-to-diagnose liver abscess, spending many weeks in the hospital during his first year. In 2011, he bravely fought an aggressive form of leukemia and managed to make a full recovery, thanks in no small part to a life-saving stem cell transplant from his brother, Rick.
 

In addition to his litany of medical issues, Jeff was easily the most accident-prone child on the planet. His family has fond memories of Jeff driving his ride-on giraffe straight down a flight of stairs, pulling the cord on a coffee percolator to douse himself in a stream of boiling water, getting his teeth knocked out by hockey pucks, breaking his collarbone during horseplay, and surviving a dangerous ski accident. But no matter what the injury or affliction—be it a black eye, missing tooth, terminal illness, or traumatic brain injury—Jeff always showed great courage and heart in facing whatever came his way. He simply soldiered on, often worrying more about other people than himself.
 

Jeff graduated from Andover High School in 1987 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Bentley University, Class of 1991. He excelled as an athlete and was an avid hockey player. He honed his skills playing on the frozen pond behind his parents’ house, scrimmaging with his brother, father, and friends. He played for Andover High Varsity and went on to play for Bentley. He was thrilled when he had a chance to play in a charitable exhibition game against some of his childhood heroes from the Boston Bruins.
 

Jeff will be remembered for his social, likable nature and that wonderful, easy smile. Between his easygoing ways and goofy sense of humor, Jeff attracted friends wherever he went. He was affectionately nicknamed “Macky” in high school, and it’s no exaggeration to say that he befriended his entire class and then some. He was even dubbed "The Nicest Guy in America" by many who knew and loved him.

When it came to family, Jeff was generous, loyal, and dependable. He would rarely miss a family event. He loved to buy gifts and would often go on reconnaissance missions in advance of holidays and birthdays to make sure he knew just what to get.
 

In terms of employment, Jeff worked as a Financial Analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield for 6 years, Putnam Investments for 21 years, and most recently at DentaQuest. He worked hard and got along well with just about everyone.

Jeff loved the ocean and spent most of his adult years living on Lynn Shore Drive. After buying a powerboat, he joined the Lynn Yacht Club, alongside his father, and served on the Membership Committee and as the club’s Measurer. He was lucky to find Kelly, the love of his life, living right nearby. He spent as much time as he could with her and always made sure she was well taken care of. In his free time, Jeff could usually be found cruising the open sea with friends or chasing the next big catch, walking or biking along the beach, hanging out with the gang at the Porthole Pub, or contemplating what he'll do when he finally hits it big and wins the lottery! He will be dearly missed!

In addition to his parents, Jeff is survived by his siblings Rick and Amy of Western MA, Jason of Portland OR, girlfriend Kelly Dunn of Lynn, hundreds of friends, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

We encourage you to celebrate Jeff’s life in your own way, perhaps by sharing a pleasant memory or funny story, taking a walk on the beach, or by doing something nice for someone else, as he so often did.

Service Details: Due to the restrictions put in place by the CDC, and the Commonwealth of MA, private family services will be held. A memorial service will be held later, at a time and place to be announced. If you wish to make a donation in Jeff's memory, the family suggests contributions be sent to the Dana Farber Institute Leukemia Research at 10 Brookline Place West, Brookline, MA 02445.

Guest book at www.parkermemorialfuneralhome.com.

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