Burial will follow at Old Perry Cemetery near Moody with full military honors.
Dr. McNiel died Thursday, Dec. 11.
He was born Dec. 22, 1914, to Arthur Allison McNiel and Gertrude Burt McNiel on a farm near Moody. He graduated in 1931 from Moody High School. He enrolled in Texas A&M College and graduated with a degree in agriculture education in 1935. He then taught in San Gabriel and later in Alvin.
He married Jane Richter on Aug. 13, 1939. He served in World War II serving primarily in the China/Burma/India Theater of war operations. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service and left with the rank of Lt. Colonel.
He bought a farm near Moody, in 1951, he later moved his family to College Station and over the next three years earned a Master’s and PhD degree and joined the faculty at Texas A&M University where he taught Genetics for nearly 25 years, retiring in 1979. Upon retiring he returned to Moody and built a home on the farm
He was an active member of the Moody Church of Christ. He is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years on Jan. 2, 2005.
Survivors include two sons, Fred Richter McNiel of Leakey and Larkin Arthur McNiel of Moody; two daughters, Rebecca “Becky” McAulay of Georgetown and Ruth McNiel Garner of Lubbock; 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren
Memorials may be made to the Moody Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 68 Moody Texas 76557.
Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. today at Cole Funeral Home in McGregor.
