Michael Neville (21 Nov 1942 - 7 Nov 2022)

Mike was a very friendly and welcoming man and I thank him for his help in the start of my career as a journalist.

As a Lay Reader in the Dewsbury Team Parish, I was a colleague of Mike's for several years. We attended Reader Study Days and licensing events together as well as being at weekly Staff meetings at the Minster. Mike was a very gentle and humble person, and despite having such an eventful and exciting life, he never sought to impress people with his exploits. He did however speak often and most lovingly of his adopted family in Zimbabwe, and did all that he could to support them there. I too was the recipient of his interesting excerpts from The Tablet and other papers, and cards with kind messages on my birthday. He was a kind and gentle soul who his light under a bushel,but spread Christian love wherever he went. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. Amen.

RIP Uncle Mike. A life well lived. Love Ronan, Kate and girls

An inspiring and loving gentleman.

In memory of "Uncle Michael". May you rest in peace. You are all in our thoughts and prayers xx

To the Neville Family
Please accept my heart felt condolences at the passing of Mike. It is devastating news and we are stunned and numbed with grief.
Mike was a gentle soul, a humanitarian who was committed to promoting harmony, coexistence altruism and integrity.
When the loss of a loved one becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. I have fond memories of our time at Marist that I will always treasure. I am unable to bid you farewell but I am with you in spirit.
Peace love and heavenly blessings to the family.

Rest in peace my dear friend

Haroon Jogee (Haram)

Thank you Uncle Mike for the warmth you brought into everyone's world

What a remarkable man! Mike was my Uncle Mike - a close friend of my parents. He remembered every birthday even when he lived away and I remember receiving beautiful handmade cards from Zimbabwe with photos and always long messages wishing me well in my studies or latterly work and life endeavours. I am grateful to have seen him a few years ago with my mum and dad at his home. I know he will be missed but I am sure today will be about celebrating a rich, interesting and well-lived life, xxx

Dear Kirkwood Hospice, Thank you for your great work looking after cancer patients. This donation is in memory of Mike Neville. Helen

I was Assistant Director responsible for Residential and Day Social Services in Hillingdon when Mike worked at Mead House, and it is likely that I appointed him as Assistant Officer in Charge, though I don’t recall the interview. It was a large building set in spacious grounds, and although the premises were part of the Borough Housing Department’s stock, it was Social Services who ran the unit as a Family Rehabilitation Centre, housing eight families at any one time. Mead House did an excellent job, dealing with a wide variety of problems – debt, marital difficulties, child care and so on.

Mike lived on the premises in a ground floor flat, and so he was virtually on call 168 hours a week, as problems often arose late at night. Mike had left what was then Rhodesia as he was at risk of being called up to join Ian Smith’s army, while, having run a college in Bulawayo, his sympathies lay with the freedom fighters.

Mead House was very handy for Heathrow, and Mike was within his rights to have guests to stay with him, and I was aware that he often met people at Heathrow and put them up till they could find other accommodation. I doubt that I was aware of the extent to which he did this, helping people leave Rhodesia to find safety in England.

As the building came within the Housing Department, they had the right to insist that we housed homeless families there, which led to a tense episode. The Chairman of the Housing Committee was Terry Dicks, who later became an MP and was very right-wing, and he insisted that we should house a white Rhodesian family, who had just arrived at Heathrow. I feared that we might become embroiled in a major political issue if it became known that we were housing white Rhodesians upstairs and black Rhodesians downstairs in Mike’s flat. Fortunately, people moved on and the issue passed.

Since then, we have kept in touch with Mike at intervals – Christmas cards and occasional meals. As the obituaries show, he will be missed. He did a lot of good for a lot of people.

What lovely man, always welcoming and always smiling. It was a pleasure to chat with him on family occasions. We’ll be thinking about you all today.

I met him later in his life, my prime memory of him were his ever smiling eyes.
A man at peace with himself, who brought great light to the world.

I first met Mike 50 yearsago in Zimbabwe when it was still called Rhodesia. I was immediately drawn to his keen mind, his commitment to a life of adventure and service, and his wicked and wry sense of humor. Neither of us knew at that time that he would spend twenty seven Years in Zimbabwe, or that it would truly become his second home. He completely loved the people and the place.

Nor, did the two of us know that he and I would still be fast friends at the time of his death, a peaceful death that he faced with dignity and strength.

After keeping in touch for several years, we lost touch for 35 years. One of the happiest things that has happened to me in the last 10 years was to be able to reconnect with him. A friendship so easily rekindled after such a long time is such a rare and precious thing.

My husband Bob and I were fortunate to be able to visit Mike twice at his home in Dewsbury, and our mutual friend Angela and Mike were able to spent two weeks with us at our home in Oregon in 2019.

Mike and I really loved one another, and he will always be in my heart and mind. It was truly a joy and a treasure to know and love him.

With eternal love for Mike, and sincerest sympathy for his family.

Susan and Bob Crowley

Marcus and I first met Mike at Marist Brothers College in Que Que and was instantly drawn to him by his pleasant and sincere character and winning smile. Our friendship cemented over the next few years, over supper and evening chats where we discovered his love for reading and topics of interest all over the world. We were aware of the dedicated teacher he was and the deep impact he had on his young students and in this he leaves behind a rich and lasting legacy. We stayed in touch over the years and kept up a correspondence where he sent us cuttings from newspapers and magazines on topics of shared interests. These and many other beautiful memories of Mike will forever be imprinted on our hearts.
Rest In Peace Mike.
Our Deepest Sympathies to his family.