It is with deep sorrow and heartfelt gratitude that we remember the life and legacy of Dr. Tim McNeese '73, beloved professor, colleague, mentor, and friend. As Professor Emeritus of History and Author in Residence at York University, Dr. McNeese shaped generations of students and colleagues with his love of history, his gift for storytelling, and his unwavering kindness. His passing on October 29, 2025, marks a profound loss for the York University family and all who were privileged to know him.
A Life of Education and Scholarly Contribution
Dr. McNeese joined the faculty at York University in 1992 and served for decades in the History Department, teaching U.S. History, Western Civilization, the American West, and Native American history. Before his university role, he spent sixteen years teaching history, social studies, English, and journalism in Missouri.
Under his direction, students learned not just dates and events, but the stories, the people, and the lived experience of history. Students remember his classes not simply for facts but for imagining what it might have felt like to stand on the battlefield amid the chaos of war.
A Prolific Author and Celebrated Scholar
Dr. McNeese was a prolific writer, with over 100 books published, many of them for middle- and high-school audiences, and many for adult readers as well.
Some of his key works:
- Time in the Wilderness: The Formative Years of John “Black Jack” Pershing in the American
West (2021) — his biography of General Pershing, which earned the Nebraska Book Award
in Nonfiction Biography Honor in 2022.
- William Henry Jackson’s Lens: How Yellowstone’s Famous Photographer Captured the American
West (2023) — explores the life of photographer William Henry Jackson and his role in
documenting the American West.
- A then-upcoming book titled Wild Frontier: How the Bison, Beaver, Horse, and Cow Tamed the American West, announced in December 2024, which would explore the role of animals in shaping the
American frontier.
His research often combined archival work, field visits, and a willingness to explore less-told angles of American history. For example, for his Jackson biography, he visited sites in Yellowstone, combed through archives in Nebraska and Colorado, and chronicled Jackson’s efforts with early photography in the West.
Campus Impact and Community Role
Beyond his writing and teaching, Dr. McNeese played a formative role in the York University community. Among his contributions:
- He helped lead the transition of York from a two-year to a four-year institution and
helped design the bachelor’s degree program in history.
- He directed a student excavation of “Old Main” on campus in 1999-2000, giving students
hands-on historical and archaeological experience.
- He and his wife, Beverly, jointly developed a domestic study program taking students
to museums and historic sites across the country.
- He served twelve years as an elder at the East Hill Church of Christ and was a director and board member for Happy Hollow Bible Camp in Missouri for many decades.
- He and his wife were mainstays of the annual RoundUp program for senior citizens
Recognition and Awards
Dr. McNeese’s work was formally recognized:
- Nebraska Book Award, Nonfiction Biography Honor, 2022 for Time in the Wilderness.
- Recognitions at York University include the Second Miler Award, 1999; Alumnus of the Year, 2009, and the Dale Larsen Teacher of Achievement Award, 2002.
- Focus on York Award, 2017, awarded by the York Chamber of Commerce
Legacy and Inspiration
Dr. McNeese’s legacy resides not only in his scholarly works or his years of service, but in the countless students and colleagues he inspired. One former student recalled,
“Seeing Dr. McNeese's work up close as a historian, as a writer, and as someone who cared about others was foundational for me,” shared Benjamin L. Clark ’02 “He conveyed that words are powerful, that words are magic, that words and actions matter, and that an individual can make a difference. He was always full of humor and humanity, and leaves a legacy that anyone would be proud of, not only in work but also in his family and faith. Dr. McNeese's courses helped me see the humanity in others, standing in moments of time that are the building blocks of our Now. Thank you, Dr. McNeese, for everything.”
Among those who knew him best, his presence is remembered as both joyful and profound. Former history professor and long-time colleague Christi Lones reflected,
“Tim was wickedly funny, adventurous, and sincere. No one else but Tim could make you laugh until you cry with the most mundane story all based on his flawless verbal delivery. He was a natural storyteller.”
She went on to say that his deep faith shaped the way he viewed the past:
“His ability to see God in everything was an inspiration. He could see God in the small and large moments in historical events — in the Great Protector’s hand over world leaders or weary pioneers moving across the country, and in the Almighty Creator’s fingerprints carved into a mountainside.”
Through his humor, faith, and gift for storytelling, Dr. McNeese helped others see both history and humanity through a lens of wonder and divine purpose. His impact endures in the laughter he sparked, the faith he modeled, and the countless lives he touched.
A Life Well Lived
While his passing marks an end to a chapter, Dr. McNeese’s influence endures. Through his writing, his students, his programs, and his active engagement in the community, his imprint remains strong.
To paraphrase Dr. McNeese’s own favorite Bible passage (Philippians 4:8-9), which
he cited as guiding his life: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure… think about such things.”
Memorial services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Sunday, November 16, 2025, at the East Hill Church of Christ in York.
To continue the work that meant so much to him, York University recently established the Dr. Tim McNeese Endowed Scholarship, which provides awards for students majoring in history or history education. This scholarship stands as a living tribute to Dr. McNeese’s lifelong passion for teaching and storytelling — ensuring that future generations will be inspired, as he inspired so many, to study the past with curiosity, faith, and purpose.
Those who wish to honor his memory are invited to give to the scholarship in celebration of a life that shaped minds, deepened faith, and left an indelible mark on York University.