Neil Mearns

Neil Alan Mearns, 90, of Pass Christian, MS passed away Saturday, December 18, 2021 at his home in Pass Christian.

Neil Alan Mearns was born in Liverpool, England on June 6, 1931 to the late Joseph Allan Mearns and Mamie Pritchard. Neil was always quite proud of the Mearns and Pritchard lineage and their respective Scottish and Welsh ancestors. Neil's family moved to the nearby town of Formby as a toddler. When he was 8 years old World War II started. He recounted the often scary and occasionally hilarious experiences of life for a young child in war-torn Britain. At the age of 12, he was sent off to St. Bees boarding school to the famed Lake District of Cumbria. Following his high school graduation at age 15 and due to the general demobilization of the British armed forces, he was accepted into an accelerated officers candidacy program immediately following the end of World War II. Following a grueling training experience he was presented with his commission by Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester who deputized for his brother, the ailing King George VI. At the ripe age of 16, Neil was told by his commanding officers that he was now, and possibly for decades, the youngest commissioned officer in the whole British Army. After a couple of years in charge of an artillery unit, and after contracting diphtheria and weeks of convalescence and reflection, he decided he preferred a long term career in the civilian world. Immediately upon being discharged from the military in early 1951, he fortuitously crossed paths in Liverpool with some visiting American cotton business executives with Geo. H. McFadden & Bros. (then a leading cotton bale merchandizing firm located in Memphis, TN). They invited him to come over to Memphis for 6 to 8 weeks to learn a bit of the American way of doing business. However, as it so happened, he was so engrossed with the opportunities afforded to him in the US; he was never to live in England again. At the cotton firm, he quickly gravitated to the international side of the business eventually even being put in charge of running McFadden's largest foreign divisions in both Brazil and Mexico, positions that even required his residence in those respective countries. He thoroughly embraced both countries’ vibrant lifestyles and business cultures. Returning to Memphis in 1972, he gradually climbed the corporate ladder culminating in 1980 with his appointment as President and CEO of McFadden. In 1984 McFadden was sold to a competing firm. Not one to rest on his laurels, Neil soon started his own smaller cotton firm known as The Mearns Company. In 1987, this entity likewise was sold to a large agribusiness concern. Neil decided he was ready for retirement and, thusly, he and Joyce decided to move south, briefly to New Orleans, before landing in his beloved Pass Christian. He dabbled in the cotton business once again before deciding to retire for good in early 2005, his decision having been finalized by the complete obliteration of his office building by Hurricane Katrina.

Within a month after Neil's arrival in the states, he met Joyce Harper of Memphis. A romance soon blossomed leading to their marriage several months later. A family was started in the 1950s with Stephen in Memphis and Pamela in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Regrettably, much later in the 1960s, the family experienced a tragedy with the premature birth of Andrew in Calexico, CA, and his untimely death only a day later.

Neil in his early adult life was quite passionate about golf for a couple of decades. Nevertheless, in his 40s he suddenly became bored with it and developed new passions for boating, sailing, and tennis. Furthermore, he and Joyce positively loved to travel, primarily to Europe but also to Asia, South America, and Africa.

An avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction he maintained a vast library of books. He also prided himself in maintaining a pulse on current world affairs.

He was always generous to his pets, which included dogs during his early years and cats in the later years. In his advancing years, Neil was beset with various pulmonary ailments which tremendously slowed down his multifarious activities. Nevertheless, in his later years, he was invariably surrounded by his beloved cats.

Neil was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Mearns; his father Joseph Mearns; his mother, Mamie Mearns; and his son, Andrew Mearns.

He is survived by his sister, Pamela Mercer (Thomas) of Guildford, Surrey, UK; his son, Stephen Mearns (Susan) of Pass Christian; his daughter, Pamela Lewis (Tim) of San Antonio, TX; his 3 grandchildren, John Lewis (Sarah) of Ponchatoula, Virginia Lewis of Baton Rouge, and Elisabeth Lewis of Biloxi; his 3 great-grandchildren, Julian, Nathan, and Eden; his nieces, Mary-Rose Mercer of Clearwater, FL, Lucy Zohdy (Ash) East Horsley, Surrey, UK, Anne Marie Vowles (Colin) Hawkhinge, Kent, UK; and his nephew, Miles Mercer (Teeko), Wimbledon, London, UK.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to the marvelous medical staff that attended to Neil in his final years, no doubt extending his life its quality. These doctors include Dr. Hem, Dr. Candal, Dr. Allen, and Dr. Dawkins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Humane Society of South Mississippi.

A visitation will be held from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM, Thursday, December 23, 2021, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 125 Church Avenue, Pass Christian.  The funeral service will begin at 3:00 PM at the church.  Interment will follow in Live Oak Cemetery, Pass Christian.

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Long Beach, is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.