Richard Neil Haney's Obituary
Family & Friends - It is with great sadness I share with you the passing of my dad, Richard Neil Haney last month on Monday, August 4th, 2025.
Neil passed at home with me at his side and his family close. He valiantly battled a heart condition for over 1.5 years in parallel with advancing Alzheimer's. He was preceded in death by his wife, Karen Haney one year prior on August 18th, 2024. He is survived by his son, Mark Haney, his wife, Laura and his three amazing grandchildren: Robert, Olivia and Emily.
Neil was born on November 28, 1945, in Daytona Beach, Florida - a Daytona native then and forever! In childhood he grew up on Cordova Avenue, watching his dad, Vermont Haney, build their family home from the ground up with his own two hands - inheriting an uncanny work ethic. Neil lived a fun-filled, laughter-filled and nature-loving childhood raised by his loving mother, Marjorie and following alongside his older brother, Gary. Neil loved going to the beach but more importantly going out on the boat on the St. Johns River and his favorite place in the world - Silver Glen Springs!
Neil Haney attended Mainland High School where he was the starting quarterback of the mighty Buccaneers during his senior year! He continued to live in the spotlight when he was the lead singer of his band while attending Southern Mississippi where he earned an Associate's degree. Neil was often seen on the sidelines performing “The Ostrich Walk” - just one example of my dad’s sense of humor. It was said you could hear his laugh down the block! It was in these times that the band played through Tallahassee and Neil re-connected with the love of his life, Karen Haney, also a Mainland Buccaneer but of course now a garnet-and-gold Seminole.
Neil & Karen married and settled back in Daytona Beach where Neil worked many years at Central Florida Distributing. After this business closed, Neil went on to be the best School Bus driver in the Volusia County School system - shuttling students to and from the elementary school where his wife, Karen, taught them for over a decade. It is amazing to think about the generations of kids the Haney's have influenced in the central Florida area.
In retirement, my parents moved to live closer to our growing family here in Dallas, TX where Neil has lived these past 13 years. Neil loved watching his grandchildren grow up. He was one of the first to show up and the last to leave from every soccer game, basketball game, band performance, holiday performance and more. We shared many weekends at their home in Carrollton with my mom rooting on the Seminoles while my father poked fun about how much better the Gators were this season (as always). We travelled together as a family to Disney and on cruises to celebrate my dad’s love of the ocean and nature. I remember my dad climbing up the stairs at Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica watching his grandson, Robert in the waterfall. And standing next to me in the bay while dolphins swam right up to him - a dream come true he said! We created many happy memories together in those retirement years.
Eventually as time passed we moved them from their house in Carrollton to be closer to us in North Dallas, eventually moving upstairs to our second floor. They both got to see their grandchildren every day and were surrounded by their same furniture, photos and mementos from Daytona Beach. My dad watched all of his favorite sports from Football to Tennis and joined my mother while she was with us nightly for a game show!
Memorial services will be here in Dallas, TX at Restland Funeral Home on Sunday, October 5th at 2pm in the Wildwood Chapel. Neil wished to be cremated, and his remains will be interred in a mausoleum at Restland right beside his wife, Karen.
Rest well buddy - Daytona Beach Forever!
-Mark, Laura, Robert, Olivia & Emily Haney
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