Walter C. McNeely, a retired Glynn County school superintendent and secretary of the Glynn-Brunswick Hospital Authority, received one of the Georgia Hospital Association’s highest honors, the Distinguished Service Award.
McNeely was recognized for his more than six decades of service to the residents of Glynn County.
Gary Colberg, president and chief executive officer of the health system, commended McNeely.
“Mr. McNeely has spent the majority of his life in service to improve the lives and circumstances of those who call Glynn County home,” Colberg said. “He is loved and respected across the region for his decades of community service that have changed the lives of many.
“We are very pleased he has been awarded the GHA Distinguished Service Award and believe he is very deserving of this honor.”
McNeely has served Glynn County and the coastal region 65 years.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, McNeely, who wanted to be a physician, earned degrees in chemistry and physics, moving to Brunswick in 1949 to teach and save money for medical school. He soon decided to make teaching his career and was later named county school superintendent, a job he kept until he retired from education in 1991.
McNeely was elected to the school board, serving for six years, and has served on the board of the Georgia Department of Natural Resouces for the past 20 years. He also serves on the board of Coastal Area Development Authority.
He was appointed to the Glynn-Brunswick Hospital Authority in 2007.
In 2012, McNeely established the Walter C. McNeely Fund for Student Support scholarship through a gift to the College of Coastal Georgia Foundation. The scholarship assists students with basic support needs directly related to college education.
He also is a founding members of 14 Black Men of Glynn, an organization that promotes citizenship and education among youth.
“Walter McNeely’s longtime dedication to his community and Southeast Georgia Health System is truly remarkable,” said GHA President Earl V. Rogers. “He is a most-deserving recipient of this award.”
The Brunswick News