Dawn Potter McNeill

Born September 27, 1945, in London, England, Dawn and her family moved to Midland, Texas in 1946, where her father was an attorney at an oil and gas company. In 1962 her father was transferred to Houston, and she attended Lamar High School, where she made many life-long friends. In fact, her group of women friends still celebrate a Christmas luncheon every year, to keep in touch.

She attended the University of Texas at Austin in 1964 and graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design. She joined the Delta Delta Delta sorority as a freshman and continued her treasured association with Tri Delta throughout her life.

Shortly after graduation, she married Dave McNeill, who was a classmate at Lamar High School and her college sweetheart. They celebrated their 55th anniversary last July.

The newly wed McNeills moved to Galveston where Dave was enrolled as a medical student at The University of Texas Medical Branch and Dawn taught at a local school. After Dave’s residency in Internal Medicine, they moved to the new community of The Woodlands in 1974. They were true pioneers there, as The Woodlands was just getting developed. They were blessed with two daughters, Tara and Tracy, upon whom Dawn doted and fussed over all their growing up years. She was a devoted grandmother to Quinn and Violet, who brought her great joy.

Dawn and Dave were among the early founding members of The Woodlands Methodist Church, which has now grown to enormous size. Dawn served on many church committees, including the auction committee that helped raise thousands of dollars in the early years of the Methodist Church. She was fierce in her commitment to serving others and was a member of the Cypress-Woodlands Junior Forum, various PTO leadership positions, served as one of the first Presidents of the National Charity League in The Woodlands, and was an active member of the Tri Delta alumnae organization in Montgomery County.

Dawn was a fun-loving, warm-hearted, devoted woman of faith and love. She had a sharp wit and could deliver a straight-faced zinger in an instant then immediately return to her charming self. She was a talented interior designer and extraordinary artist. She painted beautiful watercolors that graced her home and the homes of friends and family. Dawn surrounded herself with art and nature, loved to plan a party or vacation, was an avid reader, adored 60s music (especially The Beatles), The University of Texas, Tri Delta (she was Delta Dawn to most), and above all cherished spending time with friends, family, and especially Dave.

Dawn was preceded in death by her parents, Frank Bee Potter, Jr., and Joyce Ellen “Terry” Potter. She is survived by her husband, Dave McNeill, her daughter Tara Logan McNeill, her daughter Tracy McNeill Pullan and son-in-law Brent Pullan and her two granddaughters, Quinn and Violet Pullan.

The family would like to thank the devoted caregivers who attended Dawn in her final months, including Joy, LaToya, Diamon, and Ashton.

A memorial service at The Woodlands Methodist Church’s Robb Chapel will be held on Wednesday, November 1 at 3:00 pm. Immediately following the service all are invited to greet the family at a reception at the church.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkthewoodlands.com for the McNeill family.

A live stream of the service can be accessed on November 1, 2023, beginning at 2:50pm central time through the following link: https://control.resi.io/webplayer/video.html?id=1af0ff20-5cb8-4c8f-89d4-a1a5e5bf73b3.