Robert D. Neary Award
for dedicated service to Church, Community, Family, or the Knights of ColumbusThe VKCCI Board established the Robert D. Neary Award on September 12, 1998 to pay tribute to Bob, who was selfless and untiring when it came to VKCCI and the Knights of Columbus. VKCCI established an endowment fund where the principal of the fund will never be used, only the interest. The endowment is funded through $500 donations from Councils and Assemblies to recognize special members and individuals or organizations that have made substantial contributions to their Church, their Community, their Family, or the Knights of Columbus. Nominations can be made at any time and will be recognized with the Robert D. Neary Award.
Honoring an Individual, Family, or Organization:
Do you have a member of your Council or Assembly or an individual or organization that has done many things because he/she/it loves it and never asks for anything in return? Would you like to pay a special tribute to that person or organization and at the same time support VKCCI? The Knights, families of a Knight, other individuals, or organizations to be recognized must have made a long term commitment to their Church, their Community, their Family, or the Knights of Columbus. Nominations can be made at any time and will be recognized with the Robert D. Neary Award.
What to do:
Contact any member of the VKCCI Board of Directors or your District Deputy and ask for the Robert D. Neary Award form (or download it from this page). Simply follow the general instructions and mail the form with a check in the amount of $500, made out to VKCCI, to the VKCCI President:
Richard G. Head
President, VKCCI
11912 Montfort Circle
Glen Allen, VA 23059
At the State meeting your Council or Assembly will be recognized as participating in the program. An engraved Robert D. Neary Award in the name of your Honoree will be presented to the Grand Knight or Faithful Navigator for presentation at the appropriate time.
Sir Knight Robert D. Neary
Sir Knight Robert D. Neary was born in New York City November 16, 1933. He was educated in Catholic schools. He served in the U.S. Air Force 1951-1954. His employment career from 1958-1989 was with the Federal Aviation Administration as a systems engineer at the Leesburg, Virginia center. After retirement he worked with TRW where he was a systems consultant.
He was Grand Knight of Good Samaritan Council 6175 from 1972-74; District Deputy 1975-77 during which he was Outstanding District Deputy both years; General Program Chairman 1977-78; elected to State Office in 1978, serving as State Deputy in 1983-84. He was again elected State Deputy in 1985-86. He served as Convention Chairman in 1988; State Council Activity Chairman 1990-91; Audit Committee and Charity Commission 1992-94 when he became the founding President of Virginia Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. Bob Neary died on December 8, 1996 while serving as VKCCI president.