Obituary of Joe and Rosemary McNeilan

Joe and Rosemary McNeilan went to be with the Lord on December 28, 2019. While not on Earth, they remain together still and forever and will be united in Heaven where there love story will continue on for eternity. Joe was born in Ohio on January 12, 1930 to Richard and Cozy McNeilan. Rosemary was born in Colorado on August 6th, 1935 to William Brice and Amelia Ruth Landureth. Joe went active military in 1950 and was honorably discharged in 1954. He did his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and attended heavy equipment school at Fort Belvoir VA. He served at Naha Air Base Okinawa where he maintained the airstrip that was a dirt runway and ran a crane. He made staff sergeant and was proud of his service. He spent the rest of his tour of duty in Wyoming at Fort Warren. That is where he met Rosemary. Joe and Rosemary met in Wyoming and were married March 1st, 1954 in Laramie Wyoming in Rosemary’s parents’ living room. They started their life together and moved to various places chasing work and eventually settled in Strasburg where they made their home. They later had two children Chuck and Rowena. Joe worked for Fast Construction and local ranchers building roads and dams. In his later years he worked for Schmitt Ready Mix washing sand. Rosemary worked at her father’s restaurant in Medicine Bow, Russel Stover’s, The Strasburg Drug Store, and Judi’s Beauty Boutique and then she went to work at OEA and retired from OEA after several years. After they retired, they were able to spend time together traveling to several states. They loved attending auctions where they collected many treasures over the years. Joe was a collector of all from his arrowheads to his oil cans. They loved to play bingo, have Sunday casino trips together and grandpa would play the guitar and grandma loved to listen. Grandma liked to embroidery and made several beautiful pieces. They loved fishing and road trips. The most important thing to them was there family. They loved having family BBQ’s in the summertime and spending time with the grand kids and great grand kids. They were the center of the family as we went to then for advice, guidance and support. They are survived by one son and one daughter: Chuck McNeilan (Strasburg), Rowena and John Nelson (Strasburg). They also are survived by five granddaughters: Genny and Julie McNeilan (Brighton), Sarah and Mackenzie DeWindt (Strasburg), Katie and Ronnie Brumage (Strasburg), Molly, Darren, Sammy and Emitt Spell (Agate) and Kristina, J.D., Keaton and Karly Hamacher (Strasburg). Joe is survived by: Carl and Lois McNeilan (Ohio), Rosella Young (Ohio), Hazel and Ed Grant (Ohio), Sandi and Robert DeWan (California), Kenny and Beth McNeilan (Ohio), Alice and Mike Ennis (Michigan), Judith McNeilan (Ohio). They both had numerous nieces and nephews. They were preceded in death by their parents Richard and Cozy McNeilan and William Brice and Amelia Ruth Landureth. They were also proceeded in death by their brothers and sisters: Harry, Anna Ruth, Richard, Ruth, Alice, Dolores and Billy. They will both be remembered. We have years of memories that will forever fill our hearts. There smiles and jokes will always be treasured. Rest in peace we love you.