Richard Evan McNear

Soldier Planner Farmer

Richard Evan McNear, known as “Dick”, was born Nov. 23, 1937 in Harrisburg, PA. He passed away at 79 years old from lung cancer on September 8, 2017 at his home, Hilltop, in Rappahannock County. He was surrounded by his wife and three daughters. Dick was the son of Helen Jean and Evan Arthur McNear and older brother of Nancy Jean Weitz, also of Washington, Virginia. He graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1961 and later received his Master of Science in engineering from Purdue University. He spent 10 years in the Army where he received rank of Major and was awarded a Bronze Star while serving in Vietnam. Returning from Vietnam in 1968, he met Nancy J. (“Jeanie”) Beeghly while working at the Pentagon. Married in 1969, they moved to Rappahannock County in 1970, later to Warrenton for six years and then back to the family farm in 1980. This union of 48 years has brought three daughters: Jennifer, Susannah and Laura, and then nine grandchildren: Michael, Samuel, Nicholas, Kimberly, Josephine, Reed, Carter, Lucas and Ella Jean. Dick began farming in Rappahannock with his father in 1961 under the mentorship of legendary native John Marshall Clark. After resigning from the Army in 1970, he spent 2 years as a teacher in Fauquier County and continued work at the family farm. His notable career began in 1972 as the Director of Planning and Zoning for Fauquier County. In 1987, Dick was awarded the Citizen of the Year award for Fauquier County for his dedication and guidance through a period of high growth and hard challenges. He also completed the revision of the Rappahannock County zoning ordinance adopted in 1986 which is largely unchanged today. His name was “synonymous with excellence in planning” as his leadership was felt far beyond county lines. In 1993 he was recognized by the Virginia General Assembly for “Outstanding contributions to planning in Virginia”. Retiring in 1992, Dick began full time farming. His goal was to preserve and improve the land for his children and future generations. Exploring programs through the Culpeper Soil and Water District (CSWCD) and the National Resource Conservation Service, he made significant management changes to keep the farm sustainable. Around the turn of the century, he placed the farm into an open space easement with the Virginia Outdoor Foundation to protect it from future development. In 2013, he was awarded the Conservationist of the Year award by CSWCD after adopting holistic management practices. During this time, he’d served as Director of the CSWCD representing Rappahannock County and as Chairman of the Board for 3 years and then as an associate director for Rappahannock County. He also served as a board member of the Rappahannock County Farmer’s Association, the Piedmont Environmental Council, and the Krebser Fund. Dick’s hobbies were tennis, golf, fishing, camping and most of all cattle farming. He was well known for his sense of humor, stellar character, kindness, warmth and self-effacing manner. He embodied the pledge he took at West Point to “Duty, Honor and Country”. He will be dearly missed and forever remembered by his family, friends and neighbors. A memorial service will be held at Greenwood Farm cemetery, 43 Greenwood Lane, Washington, VA 22747 on Sunday, October 8, 2017 at 2:30pm. In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be sent to the Washington Baptist Church, the Piedmont Environmental Council or the Virginia Outdoors Foundation.