Roger Scott McNeil

Fargo, ND – Roger McNeil, 66, Fargo, ND died Thursday, Aug 5, in Brown County, South Dakota.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 11, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Fargo. Roger’s service will be live streamed at holyspiritfargo.com and on youtube.com.

Private burial will be held at a later date.

Roger was a husband, dad, papa to five kiddos, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend. He was also an avid square dance caller and dancer.

He was born November 8, 1954 in Ellendale, ND to Raymond and Helen (Ferris) McNeil.  Roger graduated from Ellendale High School in 1972. On September 15, 1973, he married his high school sweetheart, Bernadette Mastel, also of Ellendale, at St. Helena’s Catholic Church in Ellendale.  They moved to Fargo with their two children, David and Michelle, in February, 1988.

Roger worked in the trucking industry in various positions his entire work career. He loved spending time at their lake cabin on Elm Lake near Frederick, SD, where he was always working on a project improving the property. He LOVED spending time with his grandkids. Roger became a square dance caller in 2000. He and Bernadette square danced in all 50 states in their 21 years of dancing. Roger loved to call -- and it didn’t matter if it were one square or 100 squares, but his biggest thrill was calling with the live band at the national conventions.

Roger took his life after suffering from depression for years. Please, if you are suffering in any way, please get help.

Roger is survived by his wife, Bernadette, of 48 years. Their son David Scott, his wife Lesley (Richard) and their children: Olivia Katherine (7), Addison Rae (5), and Matthew David (3) of Fargo, ND, and their daughter Michelle Rae, her husband Rodger Ladd and their two children: Madeline Rae (12) and Jacob Baylor (7) of Bluffton, SC.  He is also survived by his brother Bruce (Janie) McNeil of Congress, AZ, and his sister Elaine Redmond of South Hutchinson, KS. He was preceded in death by his oldest sister, Bonnie Lee Stoebner, his parents, his brother-in-law, Kirk Redmond and his father-in-law, Aloys Mastel.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a suicide prevention non-profit or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or a charity of your choice.

Carlsen Funeral Home and Crematory of Aberdeen.