Robert K. Neely (May 2, 1939 – May 4, 2012)

My father, Robert K. Neely, passed away at 11:55pm on May 4, 2012 in Delaware County Memorial Hospital after his long ten year battle with kidney cancer. He had just turned 73 only two days before his passing. He was probably the longest survivor of kidney cancer in the state of Pennsylvania. He was a fighter and never gave up even when it looked like it was the end. Over the years many doctors have said that he had nine lives since he had so many health problems due to not only the cancer but the effects of the cancer drugs he was taking, and he was still able to walk out of the hospital on his own. After ten years of a grueling emotional and physical fight that started in 2002, his body was exhausted and finally succumbed… but not his mind. Where his fight and drive came from and kept him going we don’t know, but he was tough. His spirit lives on. His use of experimental cancer drugs, which were just approved by the FDA in 2004 when he needed them most, and their results on his body over the past decade will be a massive help to future patients everywhere.

My father was best known as a salesman who worked at Dick Barone Chevrolet and Rothrock Chevrolet in Springfield, Pa for a combined 55 years. He started at Dick Barone Chevrolet when he was just out of high school and worked his way up the ladder from auto mechanic and then into sales and became the sales manager where he spent the bulk of his time and made many friends in the community. When Barone Chevrolet was sold and became Rothrock Chevrolet he continued in management and then retired in September of 2009 due to complications from his battle with cancer. He was a man of honesty and integrity and was loved by all that knew him.

The last five months were probably the worst for him, and for us, but he took it in stride and rode it out. He was not in pain at the end and he died peacefully, which is what we wanted the most. I’m also glad the stress my mother felt over the years is now over and she can enjoy her life to the most as well now. She had given much of herself to him over the past ten years and was his rock. I’m personally glad he was there in 2007 and 2010 to see when I had received two awards. This picture above is from May 2010 when I was inducted into the Springfield High School’s 1st Inaugural “Arts Hall of Fame.”

He will be missed.

Thanks Dad.

I love you.