Neal Fee Obituary (2023) - Chantilly, Virginia

Dr. Neal Richard Fee said goodbye to his loved ones on St. Patrick's Day, 2023, at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, near his daughter, Nancy. He passed away peacefully in his sleep later that night at the age of 101. He had recovered brilliantly from a stroke three weeks earlier, but began receiving hospice care shortly thereafter. When it became clear to the family that the time was growing short, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren from all along the East Coast called him on March 17th and showered him with their words of love and appreciation. Born on September 20, 1921 in Mooers, NY, he was the only child of Neal Williams Fee and Anna Gertrude Brooks Fee. He and his wife Marian were married on March 27, 1948 in Washington, DC; they spent most of their 68-year marriage in Plattsburgh, NY, and retired to Marco Island, FL, and Westport, NY. He was deeply devoted to his God, his country, his many friends, and his family, which was his treasure. He is survived by his children: Constance Fee, Rochester, NY; John and Lisa Fee, Warner Robins, GA; Andrew and Pamela Cappello Fee, Salisbury, MA; Kathryn and Andy Keenan, Columbia, SC; Nancy and Mike Hummer, Montclair, VA; his grandchildren Christopher Fee, Katie Keenan Conley, Drew Keenan, Emily Keenan, Julia Fee Noponen, John Christian Fee, Lily Hummer, Michael Hummer; 8 great-grandchildren; and many close relatives and loved ones including the Lewis, Caron, Brooks, and Betz cousins and their families. He was predeceased by his wife, Marian Dills Fee, and his grandson, Daniel Brooks Fee. Growing up in a farmhouse on the Canadian border with no indoor plumbing or electricity just after the end of WWI, Neal lived through the Depression milking cows on the family’s dairy farm. Before his father purchased the family’s first car (a Model T), they rode in a wagon or in a one-horse open sleigh, which was still a legitimate means of transport. After his pre-med studies at Houghton College and completion of his professional degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army, serving as a dentist, and was stationed in Tokyo, Japan at the conclusion of WWII. Neal remained active in the Army reserve after his 1946 discharge, and always felt that the opportunity to serve his country in the U.S. military was one of the best things that ever happened to him. Upon his return, he completed his specialized studies in orthodontics at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine on the G.I. bill. He spent his professional life as an orthodontist in Plattsburgh, NY, where he opened a private dental and orthodontic practice in 1948, and then a second dental practice in Mooers, NY a few years later. During much of his 40-year career, he was the only orthodontist within a 150-mile radius. He had a lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of patients, and he deeply appreciated and relied upon the help of his excellent staff of dental assistants. One of his greatest pleasures was encountering former patients who would eagerly show him their smiles, many years after he had treated them. After his retirement in 1988, his lifelong interest in health and nutrition, together with his mission to help others, inspired him to begin writing a book on the many benefits of breastfeeding: his decades of practice had taught him that, in many cases, this was the most important factor in avoiding the need for orthodontia. Neal and Marian traveled often and visited many parts of the world including North and South America, Great Britain and Ireland, eastern and western Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand; they enjoyed sharing travel stories and challenging their friends to name someplace where they had never been. Neal was a member of the American Dental Association, the International Optimists Club, Rotary International, and the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. For over 50 years, he met annually with a select group of dentists and orthodontists called the Perennial Sophomores, who continued their training and studies with Dr. L.D. Pankey, the institute’s founder. He was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Plattsburgh, NY, where he served as an elder and sang in the choir, and where his wife, Marian, built a thriving choral program as Music Director. They later attended Marco Island (FL) Presbyterian Church, and most recently Essex Community Church in Essex, NY. An avid golfer, he also loved boating, skiing, waterskiing, tennis, flying his Lake Amphibian plane, riding on his beloved John Deere tractor, and working in his shop. He had a deep love for the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, and was a serious student of North Country history. As he approached 100 years of age, he was still a force of nature; he was constantly on his cell phone and his laptop, and he maintained a rigorous daily exercise routine. Asked if he would like to celebrate his century-mark birthday by doing something memorable - maybe put on a parachute and jump out of a plane - his response was, “No. Not unless I have to. I want to sing The Lord’s Prayer in church.” He did, and he sang it beautifully. He was irrepressibly curious, a voracious reader, and had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. He often repeated the words he lived by: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Healthy, active, and physically fit to the very end, he lived a full and meaningful life and he left on his own terms. The family would like to express their deep appreciation for the outstanding care he received from his Vitas Healthcare hospice team and the Arbor Terrace Prince William Commons staff. For those who wish to make a gift in his memory, please consider a donation to Houghton College (www.houghton.edu/giving), International Cooperating Ministries (www.icm.org/donate/general/), the First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh, NY (www.firstchurchplattsburgh.org/give/) or the Essex Community Church (P.O. Box 125, Essex, NY 12936).