The world received a special gift on January 10, 1960, when Kenneth Alan MacNeill—husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend—was born in Syracuse, New York. He joined his parents and older sister, Debbie, in a family that would eventually include 4 more brothers—Doug, Steve, David, and Randy. Ken was the leader of the pack. He did all the “hard things” first, and by example taught his brothers how to do them well. The “boys” share many memories of playing together, surviving bike wrecks, and pulling off various shenanigans.

The son of a pastor, Ken had the opportunity to live in Syracuse, NY; Denver, CO; Ulysses, KS; Eugene, OR; and Fresno, CA before graduating from high school. Ken played basketball in high school, earning the name “Birdman” – “Bird” for short-- because he could jump so high. He also played trumpet in the school band.

Since Ken’s dad was a pastor and summer camp director, church and church camp activities were central to Ken’s childhood. Ken’s dad also worked in radio, and as a young boy Kenny was allowed to go to the radio station and select one song for his dad to play on the air. He always chose a song by the Imperials, his favorite group. Needless to say, he was thrilled when the group came to perform at their church, one member stayed overnight in their home, and gave him a drumstick!

When Ken was about 7, he was given his first ride in an airplane, and this started him on his lifelong career path. He first flew “solo” his senior year, through a program at Hoover High School in Fresno. A local TV station ran a segment on his accomplishment. They showed him taking off and landing, and then the reporter interviewed him. He was very nervous and, not knowing what to say, made this now-famous statement, “Once you get up there…you just have to get back down,” saying it twice for emphasis. Ken made the news again at age 19 when he had to make an emergency landing on a road in a canyon near Los Angeles, saving the lives of the two executives on board. Ken flew for United Express, and then later, flew jumbo jets to Hawaii and other international destinations for a large charter company.

Ken’s good looks and politeness naturally attracted the girls. It was a problem for him beginning at a young age.

He learned the value of work early. Before becoming an airline pilot, and before his career with the Federal Aviation Administration, he held the following jobs: paper boy, strawberry picker, ice cream scooper, bakery shop dishwasher, pizza delivery driver, grocery store clerk, sprinkler installer, computer programmer, flight instructor, and airplane washer. He always did what he had to do to provide for himself and those who were entrusted to him.

After graduating from Fresno Pacific College, Ken worked as a flight instructor. One of his students was the owner of a fast-growing computer game company with cutting edge 3-D adventure game technology. Seeing Ken’s potential, he offered him a job as a programmer. Ken joined the team of programmers, and got his new boss to hire his brother, Doug, as a computer graphic artist. They worked on secret equipment not yet released to the public (PC Jr.). The game they produced was groundbreaking. Later, Ken and Doug created a game from start to finish. GoldRush! was published by the same company and sold hundreds of thousands of copies world-wide.

In 1983, Ken joined the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic controller and began a career that would span 4 decades. His first assignment was in a small tower in Livermore, CA. Before moving into management, Ken worked at the Livermore, Oakland, Van Nuys, and Fresno towers. Ken worked at the FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., as a staff specialist for 5 years, then he chose to put family first and moved back to Fresno, again working in the tower there. After several years, Ken moved back into management, taking a position at the training facility in Oklahoma City, where he found his permanent work “home.”

In Livermore, Ken met Cheryl Ann Christopher, the love of his life for more than 40 years. Being married to Cheryl taught him how to live in the moment and to live life to the fullest every day! Ken and Cheryl welcomed 4 sons--Christopher Kenneth, December 19, 1989; Jonathan Thomas, September 8, 1993; Seth Daniel, October 12, 1998; and Mark James, November 21, 2000. In addition to raising 4 boys, an adventure of its own, they shared many adventures together!

Travel has always been a part of Ken’s story. He enjoyed many camping trips in a tent trailer as a child, a cross-country motorcycle trip with friends, multi-state family trips, cruises to many different ports of call, and most recently, motorhome adventures. Motorcycle riding was a big part of his young adulthood, a passion which was rekindled in his early 60s. He found joy in solitary rides, and thoroughly enjoyed one last multi-state adventure with Doug.

With Ken’s family tracing back to the Mayflower, Ken was a staunch patriot. Naturally, Ken thoroughly enjoyed his time living in Virginia when working at FAA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Weekends were full of family adventures to Revolutionary and Civil War battlefields, cemeteries, and historical sites all over the eastern seaboard.

Ken was a self-described “bibliophile.” He LOVED books. He would read a book with a pen in hand. In Ken’s own words, “The books I value are those that I have read and have underlined and written notes in the margins. This is my way of leaving something of me behind that may, in some small, way, influence future generations of MacNeills, or perhaps others. Through these notes, I will in some manner live beyond the grave.”

In November 2023, Ken suffered several massive strokes, beginning a health journey that included a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis. He fought valiantly for nearly 3 years, suffering numerous setbacks but also prioritizing special times traveling with Cheryl and spending time with his family.

True to his form of always doing the hard things first, Ken was the first of his siblings to pass from this life into eternity.

Ken leaves behind his wife, Cheryl, his sons, Chris, Jon, Seth (Addie), and Mark (Megan); his sister, Debbie, and brothers, Doug (Carol), Steve (Carol), David (Kimberly), and Randy (Sheryl); and numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces, who adored him. He will be greatly missed, but we look forward with hope to the day that we will all be reunited with Ken and our Lord, whom Ken loved so much.