Contance ‘Connie’ T. Mcneill

Dr. Constance Marie Timmerman McNeill, 90, of Abbeville, died Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital. She was born May 7, 1932 in Philadelphia, PA to the late Lt. Claude E. Timmerman, Sr., US Navy (Ret.) and Elizabeth Clare Olek Timmerman. Connie was twice married, first to the late Charles Rayford McNeill and second, to the late John Jerome ‘Jerry’ Williams.

Dr. Constance McNeill, affectionately known as ‘Connie’, graduated from Greenwood High School in 1949. She began her college education at Lander College in September 1949 but dropped out during her junior year in 1952 after having her first child. Connie continued to grow her family by having three more children. She decided it was time to return to Lander to complete the rest of her junior year and her senior year. While at Lander, Connie was granted a National Science Foundation grant to go out to the University of Kansas and do summer work in radiation microbiology. While working in Savannah one summer, she learned they were looking for science teachers. That experience started her 30 years of teaching biology, chemistry, and physiology primarily in Chatham County, Georgia. Connie received her master’s degree from Georgia Southern University and her doctorate from the University of Georgia.

Well-known for her genealogical research skills, she was past president of the South Carolina Genealogical Society and the District Genealogical Society. If you had a question regarding ancestry, all you had to do was pick up the phone and call Connie or go visit her at the Abbeville or Edgefield County Library and she would be happy to help. The information she had at her fingertips will surely be missed. In addition to her genealogical research skills, Connie was an asset to Harris Funeral Home having digitally recorded all of our paper files. She also digitally recorded all of the paper files for the Abbeville County Courthouse.

In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by a son, Steven Lewis McNeill; infant grand-daughter, Cheryl Marie McNeill; an infant great-grandson, Matthew Ryan Seiavitch and sister, Elizabeth Ann Timmerman.

Connie is survived by her son, Richard ‘Rick’ McNeill of the home; two daughters, Anna McNeill of Savannah, GA, Claudia McNeill (Aimee) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; three brothers, Capt. Claude E. Timmerman, Jr, US Navy (Ret.) (Charlotte) of the Isle of Palms, SC, Capt. John Calvin Timmerman, USAF (Nancy) of Denver, CO and Joseph A. Timmerman (Tammy) of Summerville, SC; four grandchildren, Christina Marie Welch, Karen Lynn McNeill, Elizabeth Ann McNeill Archbold (Jason) and Steven Brett McNeill; one great-grand-daughter, Caitlyn Marie Brown (Jeremiah); one great-grandson, Jeffrey David Straub; two great-great-grandchildren, Isaac Joseph Brown and Dakota Anthony Brown; nine nieces and nephews, Charlotte Clare Timmerman, Christopher Eric Timmerman (Michelle), Chad Stephen Timmerman (Jenn), John Paul Timmerman, Annaleigh Elizabeth Pfiffner (Grant), Joseph Anthony Timmerman, Jr (Jaime), Michael Thomas Timmerman, Ashley Talnagi (Chris), Jordan Elizabeth Timmerman; seven great-nieces and nephews, Ashley Timmerman, Camden Timmerman, Hudson Timmerman, Hayden Jane Timmerman, Calvin Vinton Pfiffner, Evelyn Leigh Pfiffner and Darcey Talnagi.

A celebration of Connie’s life will be 1:00PM, Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Harris Funeral Home chapel. A second celebration will be held March 19, 2023 in Savannah GA at 1:00PM. The family requests that everyone wear red and black for the Georgia Bulldogs, if possible.

Memorial contributions, in memory of Connie, may be sent to the South Carolina Genealogical Society, PO Box 24526, Columbia, SC 29224-4526 or the American Cancer Society, 1901 Brunswick Ave., Suite 100, Charlotte, 28207.

A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.

Harris Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Abbeville is assisting the McNeill family.