Alexander H. McNeil of Dedham and Falmouth, a real estate developer and veteran passed away peacefully on October 27th at the Beth Israel deaconess Hospital Needham Campus. He was 76 years old. Mr. McNeil was born in Brookline, the son of Alexander and Jessie McNeil, formerly of Glasgow, Scotland. He grew up in Roslindale, was educated in the Boston Public Schools and was active in the Boy Scouts of America, eventually becoming an Eagle Scout.
Mr. McNeil graduated from English High School in 1946 and went on to study Business Administration at Boston University where he enrolled in R.O.T.C. and went on to serve his country in Korea, attaining the rank iof Captain in the United States Air Force.
A few years after graduating from Boston University, he founded McNeil & Associates Inc. originally focusing on real estate sales and brokerage and eventually expanding into commercial building and apartment house development. Mr. McNeil became a leader in the development of low and moderate income subsidizes housing for the elderly and loved being referred to as “The Elderly Developer” even as a relatively young man. Over his career he developed in excess of 2800 apartment units for elderly residents on primarily fixed incomes, encompassing twenty five multi-family communities in twenty three eastern Massachusetts cities and towns. Many of Mr. McNeil’s projects were noted for their planning and architecture and were winners of prestigious design awards.
In addition to his residential developments, Mr. McNeil developed and held a diverse commercial portfolio that one time included two tennis clubs because of his love for the game and ranged from Florida to Massachusetts and included Nashville and Denver. Mr. McNeil served on the Board of trustees of Tabor Academy and on the Board of the Roslindale Cooperative Savings Bank and The Grove Bank of Chestnut Hill. In addition he served as a member of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company Advisory Board and a director of the Dedham Visiting Nurse Association. Mr. McNeil was also a past president of the National Home Builders Association and the Rental Housing Association of Greater Boston.
Mr. McNeil was a longtime resident of Dedham and Falmouth and had owned homes in Palm Beach, Florida.
He leaves his beloved wife of 46 years, Virginia (Marcus), a son Alexander H. McNeil II and his wife Lisa McNeil of South Boston, a daughter, Heather Piersiak and her husband William Piersiak of Needham. He was the brother of Dorothy Shultes of Barre and Russell McNeil of Walpole. Grandfather of Derek, Dylan, Hannah and Dean Piersiak all of Needham. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Service will be held at the First Church of Dedham, 670 High Street on Tuesday November 1st at 1:30 PM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting Hours will be held at the Eaton Funeral Home 1351 Highland Avenue Needham on Monday from 4-8 PM. In lieu of flowers donations in Alexander’s name may be made to the Joslin Diabetes Clinic, Attention Memorials Dept., 1 Joslin Place, Boston MA 02215.