John Bruce Neeld, Jr. M.D. passed away June 6, 2024 at the age of 84 at his home in Atlanta, Georgia. John was an only child born to John Bruce Neeld, Sr. and Brownie Walters Neeld on January 6, 1940 in Columbia, Tennessee.
He attended public school in Columbia and was a National Merit Scholar.
His undergraduate work was completed at Vanderbilt University where he was Phi Beta Kappa. He completed medical school at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1966 followed by a surgery internship at Vanderbilt University Hospital.
He served his country during the Vietnam War as a Major in the US Army Medical Corps 1967-1970. His decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Medical Badge, Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal. The military brought him to Ft. McPherson in Atlanta.
He continued his education with anesthesiology residency and anesthesiology research fellowship at Emory University Medical School with Drs. John Steinhaus and Evan Fredrickson. John became a Fellow of The American College of Anesthesiologists in 1973, an Associate Fellow of The American College of Chest Physicians and Diplomate of The American Board of Anesthesiology in 1974.
In 1973 he became a staff anesthesiologist (hired by Drs. John Patton and Martin Reeves) at the new hospital in north Atlanta, Northside Hospital, the only hospital at the time that offered 24-hour epidural anesthesia to L&D patients. In 1986 he became the chairman of the newly organized Northside Anesthesiology Consultants (Northside Hospital Department of Anesthesiology). He was instrumental in the planning of the first expansion of Women’s Services at Northside. When Dr. Neeld retired in 2010, his colleagues gave him the title of Chair Emeritus. Along the way he was a member of several committees of the hospital’s Board and Chairman 1995-1997.
Within his medical professional organizations Dr. Neeld served as a member of the Board of Medical Association of Georgia Mutual Insurance Company (MAG Mutual), President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists 1998-99 (ASA). He was also a dedicated member of ASA’s International Anesthesia Research Society, The Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research, and The Wood Library Board; the Georgia Society of Anesthesiologists (GSA), Greater Atlanta Society of Anesthesiologists (GASA), Medical Association of Atlanta (MAA), Medical Association of Georgia (MAG), American Medical Association (AMA), and Chairman of the AMA’s Political Action Committee (AMPAC) 2006-2008, and Southern Medical Association (SMA).
He was honored to give Northside Hospital’s John McCoy Annual Lecture and receive that award in 2007. He received The Crawford W. Long Award from the Georgia Society of Anesthesiology in 2010. He delivered the Rovenstine Lecture at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists in 2013 and received the Distinguished Service Award of the specialty in 2014. The “Young at Heart” Award was bestowed upon him by the Young Physicians Section of the ASA in 2014.
Dr. Neeld served on many boards of charitable organizations and activities. Some of his favorites were working with Dr. Arthur Booth when Dr. Booth was planning and raising funds for Hospice Atlanta (now Visiting Nurses); Chair of Vanderbilt’s Medical School Alumni Association; Project MAGIC (Teen AIDS Education); Atlanta Medical Heritage (preservation of the Academy of Medicine Building in Midtown); and most recently back at Northside Hospital-Atlanta Campus as an Auxiliary member escorting therapy dogs to visit patients, driving the hospital’s courtesy shuttle and working at the Information Desk in the main lobby.
Dr. Neeld is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Miriam Gail Wix B. Neeld, whom he met at Northside Hospital. They enjoyed their modest home over the Chattahoochee River, several furry companions over the years, ski trips to Vail, sunning in St. Thomas. and many wonderful trips and adventures in different parts of the world.
He is also survived by a son, David B. Neeld of MN, and a grandson and his wife, Zachery and Cassandra Neeld of FL., God-daughter Kim Dobbin Bowers, special friends Wanda Couch and family and Ms. Wyndal Payton and family and his furry, feline friend, Smoke, who was with him to the end and is missing him very much. His first wife and mother of his son, Dr. Elise Moss Neeld, whom he met at Vanderbilt, is deceased.
His many friends and colleagues will remember him as kind, patient, fair, generous, effective, humble and willing to defend when defense was necessary. He loved a medical challenge, to teach, to lecture, and a good joke. The family is appreciative of support from Dr. David Williams and Dr. David Rodriguez as well as caregiver Mr. Irwin Williams.
Dr. Neeld chose cremation with interment in Arlington Memorial Park, Sandy Springs. A memorial service is planned for Friday, June 28th at 4PM at H.M. Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel, Sandy Springs, GA.
In lieu of flowers, please consider The Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation, The Northside Hospital Foundation, or the humane society/animal shelter of your choice.
