‘He loved kids and sports’: Buffalo Grove’s Bob McNeely devoted life to youth sports

Bob McNeely brought his passion for sports to youth football and baseball programs in Buffalo Grove.

McNeely, who died June 9 at age 91 in his native Minnesota, was a baseball coach with the Buffalo Grove Recreation Association and a football coach with the Buffalo Grove Bills Youth Football and Cheer Organization.

“He loved kids and teaching,” his daughter, Miki Crusius, said. “He was very patient, and he had a way of explaining things that you could understand.”

As a Buffalo Grove Park District commissioner from 1985 to 1997, he helped foster strong ties between youth programs and the park district.

The park district named the football field at Emmerich East Park after him.

A lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan, McNeely developed his love for sports growing up in Robbinsdale, Minnesota.

“He played all kinds of sports in high school. He played fast pitch softball for years and years,” his son Pat said.

McNeely’s job as an electrical engineer at Honeywell brought him to Illinois, and he and his wife Kathleen settled in Buffalo Grove in 1973. He began coaching when his sons Jim and Pat played baseball and football.

“He absolutely loved the football program. And that’s one of the reasons why we named the football field after him at Emmerich Park,” said longtime Buffalo Grove Park District Commissioner Larry Reiner.

Although McNeely’s s teams enjoyed success on the field, Pat said, “It wasn't about winning. It was about doing the best for the kids.”

Pat said a Chicago White Sox player once came up to McNeely and thanked him for not giving his son special treatment.

“He was a very quiet man. But when he had something to say, you listened,” Reiner said.

Reiner said McNeely worked closely with his fellow park commissioners. He also cared that each park was distinctive and not a “postage stamp” park, Reiner said.

Pat McNeely said his father liked horse racing, spending a lot of time at Arlington Park, even though he wasn’t into betting. He even included “arlingtonpark” in his email address, his son said.

Later, McNeely returned to Minnesota, serving as assistant coach at the high school in Ashby.

In addition to his three children, he is survived by his wife of 64 years and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held in Minnesota.