John Van Ness Neill

Born on July 25, 1928, in Baldwin, NY to Mr. & Mrs. John V. Neill, Sr., and growing up in Rockville Center, NY. Johnny was a gifted athlete in football and track, earning the nickname “The Southside Speedster”. After graduating from Southside High School in 1946 and spending two years being seasoned in the Marine Corps, Johnny returned to commence his college education and embark on a lifelong adventure with the love of his life, Kathleen “Sis” Corell.

Marrying on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1950, the Neills got busy, having five daughters in six years. These were in the days before TVs were in every home and obviously the Neills occupied their time productively! Two years after their youngest daughter was born, Johnny and Sis welcomed their first son. You would have thought that they were done (and so did they), but NO! Four years later their second son was born. Life in the Neill house was busy.

Professionally John excelled in the homebuilding industry. First in the 1950’s in Clearwater Florida and then Alexandria, Virginia, John built with Hooff and Neill. In the 1970’s John went to work for Pulte Homes in Detroit, Michigan to learn how the “Big Boys” did things. For the next six years, John educated himself with the systems of other national builders such as Ryland Homes. With this production home education, John started Fairfield Homes, Inc. in 1978.

Fairfield Homes grew to be a regional homebuilding powerhouse, building over 400 homes annually, with divisions in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland. John was a true design trend setter, winning multiple “Finest for Family Living” awards as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA). An article from 1986 said “Neill’s homes are like a Brooks Brothers suit: it fits well, it’s well tailored, and shows classic styling”. Fairfield Homes was an excellent place to work, with a true family feel, with multiple family members working for the company. John was a tough but fair boss, and many longtime employees have entertaining stories of times when his Scotch temper would flare.

After retiring in 1991, Johnny and Sis continued their adventure, traveling to the four corners of the earth on amazing excursions, while enjoying family time in Alexandria and Bethany Beach, Delaware with their 21 grandchildren. If John’s business success was something to be proud of, he was more proud of the family that he and Kathleen built.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John V. Neill, Sr. and Ethel May Hunt Neill, brothers VanNess and Harry, his beautiful bride of over seventy years, Kathleen Corell Neill, and two sweet grandsons, Evan and Austin Converse.

There are so many people who are left with fond memories of John, and a whole lot of family: Daughters: Patricia Domina, Megan Converse (Matt), Robin Farr (Gary), Stacy

McDonald (Tommy), Vanessa Bartlett (Rick); Sons: Johnny Neill and Peter Neill (Sally); 19 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank John’s two caregivers, Sataria and Amina, for taking care of dad with love and happiness.