Chuck Neil has a special relationship with his six-year-old grandson, Noah.
“He loves to see granddad,” Neil said.
Neil said he and his wife tried to do the things they needed to do to instill kindness into their children.
“He is very helpful when my daughter brings the two of them here,” Neil said. “He helps pick up the dressing bottles and everything. He loves to help.”
His daughter, Shannon, brings Noah and his 18-year-old autistic sister Chelsea to visit him at The Glenwood as often as possible.
With a walker and a tendency to fall, Neil isn’t very mobile, but the two love to spend time together playing game. Neil is just happy watching Noah do anything.
“I’m a granddad, so it’s enjoyable,” he said.
For Mother’s Day Shannon made flower bouquets for the women at The Glenwood and the kids passed them out. Neil will celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary in November.
Neil has four grandchildren in all.
He built his home in Saybrook with his father in law. Neil did whatever needed to be done around the house, and he especially liked to work outside. They owned four acres, which included a garden. Neil cut down wood for the fire.
It was important to Neil that he taught his children responsibility through giving them chores.
“They started to say, ‘Where’s my money?” he said. “I told them, I don’t have to give you any money. Do you eat? Do you have a bed? A TV to watch? You have all these things. But I always gave them something anyway.”
Neil especially liked to mow two-acres of the land. When he wasn’t able to mow anymore, his son in law mowed for him. Noah liked to help. Now Noah owns his own mower that he uses to mow the lawn.
“He’s always trying to do things for everybody,” Neil said.
Neil drove a 60 mile round trip from Saybrook to Rantoul where he worked at the Chanute Air Force Base for 30 years. After the base closed, he ran a craft store with his wife. Although she is legally blind, he said she can still do the tiny crafting details that makes her pieces special.
She made about 20 items to share with the ladies at The Glenwood. They had a show with singing, and Noah wanted to participate, so he learned all of the songs.
Neil and his wife have lived at The Glenwood for a year.
His health started to decline when his liver fail in the 1990’s. Neil had a liver and kidney transplant in 1999. Before that he was so sick that he nearly died.
It was a long process to find a liver and kidney match. Neil heard that he would receive a liver and kidney two times before Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis was able to provide him with a match.
Neil said that because he falls and can forget to take his 22 medications, he and his wife are safer at The Glenwood.
He misses being at home, though.
