Obituary of John Gilbert Neil

John Gilbert Neil, 58, of Herndon, Virginia, passed away on December 21, 2017. He is survived by his mother, Helen Neil (Pantazis) of Griffith, Indiana; siblings Laura Loudenber (Scott) of Griffith and Tom Neil (Patty) of Dallas, Texas; niece and nephew, Sarah and Kevin of Dallas; and longtime close friend Lisa McTavish of Herndon. John was preceded in death by his father, Harold R. Neil and his brother Jim.

John was born on May 9, 1959.  He graduated from Griffith High School and then attended Purdue University where in 1983 he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management. John relocated to Maryland where he became a Project Manager and Superintendent for Glen Construction Company.  John worked as a manager for mid-sized firms in Northern Virginia including Tucon Construction, Metro Commercial Construction and Interior Construction, Inc.  In 1996, John became a Senior Project Manager for The Mark Winkler Company. Some of the projects John was most proud of working on were 1875 Pennsylvania Avenue, The Institute for Defense Analysis, The Center for Naval Analysis and Transdulles Centre Buildings 8&9. Later in his career John established his own consulting business, JGN Consultants. John was known in the construction industry as a dedicated and skilled perfectionist who developed long lasting relationships with both his employers and his customers.  

John became active in the Herndon community where he resided. He became the Director of Sales for the Herndon Compass, a small regional newspaper and joined in several grass-roots political efforts. He even became certified as a political fundraiser.

John was an avid sports fan and enjoyed fishing, auto and horse racing, and riding his bike on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. He loved The Greatest Spectacle in Racing: The Indy 500, and he adored and spoiled his cats, Tucker and Memeow. John was a kind, loyal person with a zest for life and laughter. There was nothing he would not do for a friend, and he leaves many dear friends behind.

Memorial services will be held in Griffith, Indiana. Date and time will be published once scheduled. In addition, A Celebration of John's Life will be held on Saturday, May 5, 2018 from 12 -2 pm at Jimmy's Old Town Tavern 697 Spring St. in Herndon, Virginia for local friends and business colleagues.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in John’s name to The American Heart Association.