Jerry Wayne Neely

Jerry was an ocean engineer, a teller of “sea stories”, a race car driver, a fan of beaches and sunsets, and a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

Jerry had a long and exciting career. In the 1970s, he worked at the Avondale Shipyard with his father-in-law and as a recording engineer for live shows and recording studios in New Orleans. Starting at 23 years old in 1978, he began working for Taylor Diving and Salvage in Belle Chasse, LA where he maintained and operated remote operated vehicles (ROVs) in support of oil operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Jerry, Maria, Angie, and Kirk moved to Vero Beach in 1988 from New Orleans for his career at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. He was hired to jumpstart their ROV program and was Director of Engineering by the time he moved on to other ventures. He later worked as a consultant for Lockheed Martin and finished his career with Ocean Specialists, Inc. His work took him all over the world.

Whenever the sun was shining, Jerry loved being behind the wheel of a slick car with the open road ahead of him. His need for speed led him to race cars in autocross with the Sports Car Club of America, a motorsport where drivers take turns running a short road course competing for the best lap time. He won many first-place trophies with his Toyota MR2 Spyder.

This got him started on the next level of his racing hobby, track days racing his Spec Miata, also with SCCA. Jerry bought a 1993 Mazda Miata, stripped it down, and had a roll cage welded in. He would run races with 50 to 60 other drivers at tracks like Sebring and Daytona. He loved the thrill of competition and making adjustments to his car and improving his techniques. Jerry would show the in-car footage to his children the next time they visited and tell the stories of the latest race.

Jerry and Maria would also participate in Porsche Club of America rally races where they and other Porsche owners would meet up and make a drive together along scenic routes and end the day by sharing a meal together.

Jerry was predeceased by his parents, Carlton and Martha, his brother, Tracy, and his sister, Pamela. He said goodbye to his loving wife, Maria, his children Angeleen and Kirk, his granddaughters, Caitlin and Juniper, son-in-law Robert, and daughter-in-law, Gabrielle.

The Neely family asks for any memorial donations to go to the Mayo Clinic: https://philanthropy.mayoclinic.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycock-hillcrest.com for the Neely family.