Rodrick “Red” Angus McNeil, born in New Waterford, Cape Breton, was the heart and soul of Wittenburg and a legend in his own time by those who’ve been lucky enough to know him. Red lived life to the fullest and left this earth with no regrets. He passed peacefully on November 5, 2021 in Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro.
Red was a carpenter by trade but was truly a jack of all trades. He loved to work with his hands and had the skills, imagination, and determination to overcome any task he set his mind to. He loved being outdoors hunting, fishing, and gardening, he loved to cook and play cribbage, and took great pride in sharing that time with others.
To know Red was to know love. He was the kind of person you could meet once and feel like you’ve known him a lifetime. Whether you were family or a friend, he made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He would even tell you “I love you the most”, and it didn’t matter if you knew he told everyone that, you still felt it.
There was nothing Red loved more in this world than his family. His greatest pride was in the love of his life and wife of 46 years, Diane Theresa Saulnier. He said the moment he laid eyes on her, he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and would proudly say, “She still is to this day”. He said he knew he was going to marry her one day, but it was her homemade butter tarts that really sealed the deal. He was incredibly proud of his kids, Andrea (“Farmer” Andre Gaudrault), Brandon (Erin) and Wesley (Shawna); and loved being Grampy to his grandsons, Liam, Maddox, Luca, Ewan, and Sullivan. He is also survived by siblings, Helen Boise (Gary Leblanc), Louise MacNeil, Beverley (Donald) Corbett, Irene Chant (Jim Brown), Sheila Kennedy, Kevin (Dody) MacNeil, Charles (Bernadette) MacNeil, Muriel (Doug) Lively; and many nieces and nephews who were very special to him. He is predeceased by his parents, Roderick and Rose Ann (Hill) MacNeil; sister, Louise Rosemary; brothers, Francis and Malcom MacNeil.
Red was the man with endless stories of personal experiences, and he loved to share them with others. He’d tell them with so much enthusiasm and detail that you felt like you had those moments with him. He was the life of every party, always smiling and happy, he was quick witted and full of jokes. The young and old alike looked forward to his company. Everyone looked forward to him picking up his guitar and belting out tunes. There is no other man who can sing “Bobby McGee” or “Mule Skinner Blues” like him.
Rodrick Angus was proud of his Scottish heritage, and of being raised in Cape Breton. He was particularly proud of the McNeil family motto, “to conquer or die”, and if there was ever a man true to this phrase it was Red, defying death many times and battling to the end.
There will only ever be one Red. They broke the mould after they made him. He was simply the best. His loss will be felt for lifetimes. When asked if he had anything he wanted to pass on, he simply said “Keep it light and speak from the heart always”.
Family flowers only, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or Colchester Food Bank. Special thanks to Dr. Lorraine Pelley for care and compassion.
Funeral service will be held Wednesday, at 2 p.m. in Wittenburg Baptist Church with Pastor Paul Worden officiating. Burial in Mountainview Cemetery. Masks, proof of vaccination and ID are required at the service. Reception and celebration of life to follow at McNeil family home.
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To view the service online use the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83683322795?pwd=RWg5SStmYVFYT2RaSDA1aGIyS1dpdz09
Meeting ID: 836 8332 2795
Passcode: 705074
Or dial in via telephone:
1 438 809 7799
Same meeting ID and passcode as above
