Obituary of Marion Neely

His family includes his wife, Marilyn J. Neely; daughter and son-in-law, Susan Neely and Joseph Jones of Washington, D.C.; son, Robert Neely of Grayslake, Illinois; two grandchildren, Eve and Ben Jones of Washington D.C.; brother and sister-in-law, Ralph and Sharon Neely of Elmhurst, Illinois, a niece and a number of nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Florence Neely. He volunteered for the draft and served as an MP in the 94th Infantry Division of the United States Army during WWII. Growing up in Iowa Falls, Iowa, he graduated from Iowa Falls High School in 1941. Following the war, he came to Iowa City to attend the University of Iowa. He graduated from the School of Business and started working for John Deere as a teritorial manager in Mason City. On July 13, 1952, he married Marilyn J. Long in Renwick, Iowa. The couple moved back to Iowa City where Marion enrolled in Law School at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1959. For a couple of years he served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Iowa in Des Moines. They returned to Iowa City in 1961 where he has been in private practice for 42 years. Mr. Neely was active in many civic, professional, and political organizations throughout his life. As a city judge, he took strong positions on court reform, disbarment of lawyers, and drug enforcement. For over 20 years, Marion served as the City Attorney for North Liberty taking an active role in its progress. He held leadership positions in the Trial Lawyers Association of Iowa, was appointed by Governor Branstad to the Iowa Health Facilities Council for two terms, for eight years he served as chairman of the Johnson County Republican Party, one of the charter members of the “Eisenhower Club”. Mr. Neely had served as President of the Johnson County Bar Association, a member of Iowa City Noon Rotary, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow, and on the speakers Committee. In 2004, Marion would have been a 50-year member of the Iowa City Masonic Lodge. As a member of the First United Methodist Church, he had served on the Board of Trustees and was involved in Men’s Club. Marion was a 40 year charter member of the Investor’s Club, past president of the Iowa City Shiners Club, member of the University of Iowa Presidents Club. During his college years at the University of Iowa, Marion lettered in tennis and continued to play and maintain a strong passion for the sport up until this past year. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Marion’s memory to the First United Methodist Church or Rotary International.