THE ADVOCATE 437
VOL. 80 PART 3 MAY 2022
NOS DISPARUS
By R.C. Tino Bella
Gerald Adam Neely
Gerry Neely was a gentle man and a gentleman
throughout his colourful and well-lived life. He was
also a son, brother, husband, father, uncle, business
and law colleague, and friend to many.
Born on August 20, 1928 in Windsor, Ontario to
Adam and Olive Neely, Gerry lived a life filled with
loving relationships with family and friends, tremendous
accomplishments in his chosen profession and community service, a
curiosity about the world around him and the gift of a sense of humour that
resonated with everyone he met.
He received his public school education in the Walkerville area of Windsor.
In his valedictory address, he thanked his teachers for lessons in
patience, perseverance, honesty, courage and all those qualities that make
for strong character. He embraced those qualities throughout his life and
shared them with others in his personal and professional life.
Gerry completed a bachelor of arts degree (honours economics and political
science) at the University of Western Ontario in 1951. He joined the
Toronto brokerage office of A.E. Ames & Co. later that year and was then
transferred to the Victoria office in 1952.
A few months later, in April 1953, he met the love of his life, Patricia (née
Meagher), on a blind date. With Pat by his side and surrounded by new
friends and a warm welcome from Pat’s parents and her three older sisters
and their husbands, Gerry was now fully immersed in the West Coast
lifestyle.
After a brief return to Toronto (on demand by the company to be in the
office on Christmas Eve 1953!), he began his migration to Victoria, where
he would remain for the rest of his life. While the memories of his childhood