Neill G McFadyen

Neill Graham McFadyen (Mac), 101, of Bradenton, Florida passed away in his sleep on Monday July 20, 2020 at the Bradon River Rehabilitation Facility. He was born to parents Dr. Archibald Alexander McFadyen and Helen Howard McFadyen on August 6, 1918 in Tai’an, Shangdon province, China. His parents were medical missionaries affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and ran a hospital in China. Neill learned Mandarin Chinese from the Amahs before he learned English. Neill left China for boarding school and graduated from Darlington High School in Rome, GA, however the experiences he had in the years living in China would stay with him forever. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. During his time at Davidson he and his brother Howard helped establish Davidson’s first soccer team (which had been very popular in Asia and Europe) and he enjoyed being on the varsity wrestling team where he was highly ranked. Neill had always planned on becoming a doctor like his father and brother, but WW2 interrupted those plans keeping him from going on to medical school. He joined the Navy and went through the ninety-day wonder officer training program from which he emerged a commissioned officer. He was an Ensign on the USS Phoenix (CL 46) stationed in Hawaii the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The USS Phoenix was anchored at the end of battleship row and was one of the few ships able to leave the harbor that day with only minor damage. He was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant and served from 3/16/41 to 11/15/45. After the war, Neill began his career in management with the Standard Oil Company in China where he was able to fully utilize his skills in the language and ended his career as an executive with Exxon Oil Company in Taiwan. To this day Neill would say that Rockefeller owes him five bucks because he covered a tip for him! Neill married Ruth Colby Tenney on June 26, 1943. After the war they would travel all over Asia together wherever work brought them. Together they had four children, two which survived birth: Neill John and Carol Ann. Ruth passed away in 1997 and his son Neill John McFadyen passed away in 2010. Neill is survived by his daughter Carol Ann Fincher, his son-in-law Jim and his grandchildren Ashley and Joshua. Neill lived a unique and interesting life. He lived and worked in China and the Far East for most of his life until his retirement to Florida. He was fluent in the Mandarin Chinese language and had a great respect for the Chinese people and their historic culture. His family has fond memories of his many stories of his life growing up in China, surviving the attack at Pearl Harbor and his many adventures during his career. Neill was known for his passion for carving and his love of chocolate. He was fondly known by his family and friends as the M&M man. He would give away three-pound bags of M&Ms to everyone and kept an M&M dispenser filled at the reception desk at Freedom Village. A graveside memorial service will be held Saturday August 15 at 10:00 AM at the Raeford Cemetery in Raeford, North Carolina. The family encourages that people make a donation in support of the Iron Rose Sisters Ministry or Little Hands Big Hearts Foundation in lieu of flowers. Information on each ministry can be found below. Iron Rose Sister Ministry at www.ironrosesister.com and click on the donate button. You can also mail a check made out to IRSM to: Iron Rose Sister Ministries, P.O. Box 1351, Searcy, AR 72145. Little Hands Big Hearts Foundation at www.LittleHandsBigHearts-mission.org for online giving. A check can be mailed to: LHBH Foundation, 11575 SW Pacific Hwy., Suite 106, Portland, OR 97223. Arrangements are under the direction of Gendron Funeral & Cremation Services Inc. located at 135 N Lime Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34237. 941-365-1767 www.gendronfuneralhome.com

Neill G McFadyen

August 6, 1918 - July 20, 2020