Harry Finley Neff

Harry F. Neff passed away on June 28, 2020. He was born on September 3, 1920 in Neillsville, Wisconsin to Clara L. (Geeslin) and Harry F Neff, Sr. Harry was the youngest of five siblings: Madeline, Francis, Harriet, Robert and Homer.

Harry Sr. died when Harry was 10 years old. He passed during the Great Depression which left his mother no choice but to place Harry and his brother Homer in an orphanage run by the Independent Order Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He stayed in the orphanage until his graduation from East High School, Green Bay, in 1938. Harry worked on a farm in Denmark, Wisconsin for 7 months after his graduation. Because of the financial times he soon enlisted in the Navy (22 yrs).

He married Jeanne Evanson on June 19, 1943. He met Jeanne in the orphanage they both attended. They had three children: Virginia Jeanne, Robert William and Peter Dale. Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanne (10/20/1922-03/28/2010) after nearly 67 years of marriage; his son, Robert (07/01/1946-07/26/2015); and granddaughter, Teresa Peterson (05/24/1966-09/20/1993).

Harry retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer Corpsman in 1962 (22 yrs) and went to work for Kennecott Copper Corporation as a P.A. (20 yrs) Harry was a very devoted and conscientious worker.

Harry was a husband and father of his time. Stern, devoted and reliable. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Survived by his daughter, Virginia J (Neff) Peterson (Jerry Peterson); granddaughter, Julie (Peterson) Lay and Hazen; great-grandchildren: Taylor (Lay) Maw and Rachel Lay; grandson, Marc Peterson and Pilar Schuman; great-grandchildren: Madeline Peterson and Carson Peterson; and granddaughter, Diann Peterson.

Son, Peter Dale Neff; grandchildren: Ryan Dale Neff and Wendy Neff; and great-granddaughter, Zoie Neff; Peter Austin Neff and Alex Tchong; great-granddaughter, Hailey Emerson Neff.; granddaughter, Jessica Anne (Neff) Carrillo and Eduardo Carrillo.

He had two grandsons from his son Robert, Drake and Dane Neff.