March 5, 1948 Nov. 11, 2012
Jon A. Neely, 64, New Brighton, a Vietnam War Army veteran, passed away Sunday, Veterans Day, at UPMC Shadyside, Pittsburgh. He was to be this year's grand marshal in the annual Beaver County Veterans Day Parade but lost his battle after a lengthy illness.
He was born in Altoona, son of the late Homer J. and Jean L. (Prough) Neely.
Surviving are his wife, Linda (Krepps) Salvati Neely; four children: Dawn Ford and husband, Bill, in Maryland and their daughters, Jessica and Meagan, David and wife, Maria, of New Castle and their children, Ashley, Zachari, Caitlyn and Dacia, Scott and wife, Laurie, of Beaver Falls and their daughters, Kati and Faith, and Christopher and wife, Tammy, of New Castle and their children, Nathan, Joey, Caitlyn and Nick; two stepchildren: Michael S. Salvati of Beaver and Jessica L. Salvati of New Brighton and her daughter, Leeann; and five brothers: Joseph and wife, Mary, James, Mike and wife, Tina, Bill and wife, Connie, and Bob and wife, Bobbi, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, all of the Altoona area.
He is also survived by his "special" brothers: Nick Pavkovich, Jim McCoullough, Jack Web, Jerry Johnson and John Potopa; a special aunt, Dorothy Krepps, and her daughters, Debbie Pratte, Merianne Hoopes and Patty Carrodus; and a brother-in-law, John Dean Krepps and wife, Tracy, of Harmony Township and their daughter, Rhiannon and husband, Marty, and their daughter, Sophia, of Chicago, Ill. He will also be missed by his former wife, Shirley Neely of Rochester.
Jon was a 1966 graduate of Altoona High School and retired from the U.S. Post Office in Rochester, Pa. Prior to that, he had worked at the former Conrail in Conway. He also served his fellow veterans working at the New Brighton Veterans Administration, and he was a member of the American Legion in Beaver Falls, VFW in Rochester and Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 862, where he was a past officer. He was an avid golfer and Pittsburgh sports fan. He always gave a helping hand and will greatly missed by all who knew him.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. today, 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, and 10 until the 11 a.m. funeral service Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at J&J Spratt Funeral Home, 1612 Third Ave., New Brighton. Jon's nephew, Pastor Tim Thunberg of Greensburg Free Methodist, and Pastor Gregory Clagg of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rochester, will officiate. Interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Rochester. Members of the Beaver County Special Unit will meet at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the cemetery to provide military honors.
