DANIEL AMBROSE NEARY

Born: April 17, 1940
Died: March 19, 2018

Dan Neary died in Berlin, Vermont from complications caused by Parkinson. He prepared for Yale at Scarsdale (NY) High School and at Yale he lived in Pierson, majored in English, was a member of the Dramat and chaired the Yale Shakespeare Tour in 1962. He played on the Freshman baseball and soccer teams and sang in the Freshman Chorus.

Bill Stott writes:

"Dan Neary of the unforgettable giggling laugh and I go way back....same high school home room, fullbacks on the soccer team (he better than I; no one had quicker feet) had the same part, Tom Wingfield, in parallel productions of 'The Glass Menagerie,' and dated the same high-profile girls (he won both). At Yale we suffered the same disillusionments, fell into English majors, and acted in the Dramat (the servant in 'Tom Jones' was given his middle name, Ambrose)"

After Yale Dan obtained an MA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, worked as a reporter for the Rutland Herald, and later served as Bureau Chief for the AP there. He also worked for many years for the Vermont Department of Employee Training. He spent the remainder of his years writing short stories, film reviews and taking black-and-white photographs in a style described by critics as "stark" and "austere." He published two books: Vanishing Vermont and Rage in the Hills.

In our 25th Reunion Classbook Dan wrote:

"Since graduating I have been living in a place that I truly love – the State of Vermont ... a state blessed with extraordinary beauty ... I married Emily Chew in Washington DC. We shortly had twin daughters, Jessica and Carla. I (took) pictures for Vermont Life Magazine and contributed articles to the New York Times and the Boston Globe."

Dan loved his family vacations and traveled with them to New York City, Paris, London, Maine and all over New England. He had a great sense of humor and a remarkable, contagious laugh. He also loved music, playing banjo and leading singalongs in the family living room. His writing friends nicknamed him 'the funster.' He truly enjoyed living in Montpelier, where he spent his time reading and volunteering at the Kellogg Hubbard Library, browsing books, and he loved getting bulk oatmeal and great chocolate cake at the Hunger Mountain Co-op.

Dan’s wife and life-mate Emily predeceased him in 2012. He was survived by their twin daughters, Carla Occaso and Jessica Neary, and grandchildren Kirby Occaso and Candace Neary (Annette Lynch, spouse).

John Harger Stewart