Municipal official, community activist.
Born at Winnipeg in 1914, the son of William Merton Neal and Frances Jean Scott (1887-1988), he obtained both law and arts degrees from the University of Manitoba. He worked as Corporate Counsel for the McCabe Grain Company and later Corporate Secretary of the Cargill Grain Company, from which he retired in 1980, continuing business pursuits as President of Tryton Investments and Manager of the Traders Building until ill health forced his full retirement in 1982.
On 20 September 1939, he married Margaret Louise “Marnie” Austin (1915-1997, daughter of Carl E. Austin) and they had four children. He served as Mayor of Fort Garry (1954-1955), First Vice President (1957) and later President of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce (1958-1959), Manitoba Forestry Association, and Boy Scouts of Manitoba, founding member and Chairman of the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, Misericordia Hospital Board Chairman, Advisor to the Canadian Council on Rural Development, Director of the Zoological Society, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, honourary life member of the Manitoba Game and Fish Association, and long-time member of the Fort Garry United Church. An avid conservationist and naturalist, he helped establish a waterfowl sanctuary on the Winnipeg River at Lac du Bonnet.
In retirement he moved to Lac du Bonnet where, following a lengthy illness, he died on 19 May 1993.
“Popular young couple plight their troth at home ceremony,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 September 1939, page 9.
“Mr. and Mrs. William Scott Neal,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 September 1939, page 8.
“Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Annual Report - the 1957 Council,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 May 1958, page 6.
“More trade means less mistrust - Neal,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 May 1959, page 3.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 25 May 1993, page C9.
Obituary [Margaret Neal], Winnipeg Free Press, 11 June 1997, page 49.
We thank William J. Neal for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 8 November 2024
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
