Richard I. "Butch" Neal

General Richard I. NEAL "Butch" (Age 79) of Washington, DC. General Richard I. "Butch" Neal, USMC (Ret.), beloved husband, father, and grandfather, died on June 17, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Kathleen McCann Neal, his three children, Andrew and wife Celene of Portland, OR, and Andrew's daughter Marina and sons Nathaniel and Aiden; his daughter Amy Neal Korzen and her husband Jason of Montclair, VA, and their daughters Kennedy, Tegan, and Holland; his daughter Erin Neal Michelli and her husband Michael Joseph of Virginia Beach, VA, and their son Dominic and daughter Sophia. General Neal is also survived by his dear sister Pamela of Cookeville, TN, sister-in-law Rita McCann White of Hingham, MA, brother-in-law William McCann of South Boston, MA, and 19 loving nieces and nephews.

General Neal was born on June 20, 1942, the son of the late John and Lois Neal in the town of Hull, MA. He graduated from Hull High School and then went on to Northeastern University to major in history and education. Following graduation from Northeastern University in 1965, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

Over the next 35 years, General Neal commanded at every level. He served two tours in Vietnam including time as a Forward Observer for the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines and as an infantry battalion adviser to the Vietnamese Marines. While serving in the Marines, General Neal graduated from the National War College and earned his M.Ed. from Tulane University. During Desert Storm, he served as the Deputy Director of Operations under General Schwarzkopf as well as Central Command Briefer, where he could be seen daily at national press briefings updating the country on the Persian Gulf War. He was promoted to four-star general in 1996 and appointed Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.

General Neal's decorations included the Defense Distinguished Service Medal; Silver Star Medal with Gold Star; the Defense Superior Service Medal with Palm; Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V"; Purple Heart; Navy Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medal; and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Following retirement from the Marine Corps, General Neal served as a senior mentor in the Marines and as a senior fellow for the National Defense University's CAPSTONE Course, which includes the training of all newly selected Brigadier Generals and Rear Admirals. He served on the Board of Trustees for Northeastern University (Boston, MA) and Norwich University (Northfield, VT). He was on the Board of Directors for the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA); for Steel Partners Holdings L.P.; Humanetics Corporation; and served as President of Audio MPEG, Inc. He also enjoyed his time as an Information Desk volunteer at the Library of Congress, which allowed him the opportuntiy to interact with school kids and visitors from around the country.

He wrote a moving, personal memoir "What Now, Lieutenant? Leadership Forged from Events in Vietnam, Desert Storm and Beyond" in which he recounts the pivotal moments of his life and career and reflects on how those shaped his leadership style, decision making, and problem solving. His story has reached thousands and is included in the Marine Corps Commandant's Professional Reading List.

To those who knew Butch Neal, he was first and foremost a loving father and grandfather who took great delight in the time spent with his family. He loved his hometown of Hull and the ocean. For many of us, he will be sorely missed because of the enthusiasm and gusto with which he met life, his ability to be present in the moment, and his quick wit and sense of humor.

The family will schedule a burial service at the Hull Village Cemetery (Hull, MA), followed by a Celebration of Life event for Butch and Kathy.

The family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made in honor of General Richard I. Neal to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.