Obituary of George Francis McNeary

It is with great sadness that the family of George Francis McNeary Jr. announce his sudden passing on September 12, 2023, at the age of 66.

On August 16, 1957, George Sr. and Jean welcomed George to the world and introduced him to the residents of Canso, Nova Scotia. In 1962 George started grade primary where he met a seemingly sweet little girl named Stella who would ultimately end up being his co-conspirator and wife. The two would go on to graduate high school in Canso before leaving their cozy little town and heading out to Bridgewater to start their lives together. George and Stella were married on December 23, 1977, and for the next nearly 46 years together they would laugh, cause mischief, have two sons, and create many memories and stories together that they would later get to share with their two grandsons, who would lovingly refer to him as Grumpy McNeary.

After George graduated from Canso High School in 1975, he went on to study history at St. FX with dreams of becoming a teacher before attending Lunenburg Regional Vocational School in marine diesel repair.

George started with Lunenburg Foundry kickstarting a twenty-year career as a diesel mechanic/ship repairer as well as worked at South Shore Marine for four years and then landing his dream job as a teacher at NSCC Lunenburg Campus as the diesel mechanic instructor for the past seventeen years before finally retiring this year in June 2023.

George had a passion for history and travel. He and Stella would find themselves traveling to some of the places they most wanted to see, bringing back home trinkets and gifts for family along with lots of photos and some funny stories about the people they met or the crazy things they did and never missing a laundry while away. The McNeary household was often filled with laughter and chaos and mischief, and the older George got the more mischief he found himself in, but he was still able to use his charm to get away with it.

George was beloved by all who met him, and he was often found chatting away and sharing a laugh with whomever he would run into while he was out and about before ultimately being dragged away by his family who made the mistake of letting him wander. George never missed a chance to be silly or to laugh or tell terrible dad jokes and the tales of George live on in the stories that will be told by those who met him and the laughs that he brought and the family who loved him dearly.

George was predeceased by his grandson Logan McNeary, his parents George Sr. and Jean (MacKenzie) McNeary, and his brother Patrick McNeary.

George is survived by his darling wife Stella (Armsworthy) McNeary, his sons Michael (Andrea) McNeary and Bob (Juantia) McNeary, and grandson Liam McNeary.

Visitation will be held at C.F. Sweeny’s Funeral Home, 35 York Street Bridgewater on Monday, September 18, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and funeral service will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 2 p.m., also in Sweeny’s Funeral Home. Interment to follow in Brookside Cemetery, Bridgewater. Arrangements have been entrusted to Sweeny’s Funeral Home, Bridgewater, where online condolences may be made by visiting www.sweenysfuneralhome.com. The family requests that donations in George’s memory be made to the Bridgewater Inter Church Food Bank, or your local Food Bank.  

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

“May his soul be on God's right hand”.