Neal Shufelt Obituary

Remsen - The big bucks in the North Country are frolicking today knowing that Neal H. Shufelt has had his last hunting season. Neal passed peacefully at his home on July 6, 2025 with his family by his side.

The son of C.S. "Red" and Ola Shufelt, both of Remsen, Neal graduated from Remsen Central High School in 1962, and soon after he met Patricia Schoen in her first visit to Remsen at a school function. Little did she know this would soon be her longtime home. Neal and Pat married 7 months later on February 29, 1964 at Stittville Methodist Church.

Neal was an Army veteran, drafted in 1968 and deployed to Germany until 1970 in the long-range mobile missile division, where most of the time his unit remembered to detach the missile from the truck when launching. For much of his time in Germany, Neal was joined by Pat, living in an apartment above a bakery, eating dinners and speaking broken English with their landlord Frau Fehr, and visiting many sites and cities across Europe.

For many years Neal worked as a barber at the Marcy Psychiatric Center. He then got his teaching degree and became a vocational instructor at the Midstate Correctional Facility until his retirement in 2000.

Neal and Pat have lived on his beloved farm since 1979, where they raised three kids and numerous cows, horses, pigs, turkeys, chickens, and various other invited and uninvited animals. For many years he was followed around by Zach, his loving and loyal black lab, and the two of them could often be found chasing escaped cows down James Road.

Neal enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren compete across their many sports and teams, and he was always quick to offer his advice after a game. Neal was also an avid outdoorsman. When Fall came around, he could always be found in hunting camp, where ginger brandy was plentiful, cards were mandatory and plans to find the big bucks were debated. Come January, it was time to head to Daytona Beach Shores, where Neal and Pat and a large crew of upstate New Yorkers would play more cards, make the rounds at the various watering holes, and tell stories of those big bucks that got away.

While Neal will always be remembered for his "side eye" commentary on the latest clothes or hair styles, and never hesitating to ask how much something cost, he could also commonly be seen teaching kids how to cast a fishing rod or sight a BB gun.

Known by many as "Nice Guy Neal", he was loved by the Remsen community and others he encountered over the years.

The Shufelt family would like to extend a special thank you to the incredible team from Hospice & Palliative Care, the caregivers at the NAPPI Clinic in Syracuse and the many others who helped care for Neal over his final years, including Dawn Jones, Charlie Barnhart and Cindy Lalyer for being by his side.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Pat; his three children, Kim (Matt) Acevedo, Scott (Alice) Shufelt and Greg (Michelle) Shufelt; and his eight grandchildren, Madeline, Haley and Nick Acevedo, Grace and Emily Shufelt and Evy, Savannah and Tyler Shufelt. Other survivors include his sister, Cindy Lalyer; brother, Seam (Kathie) Shufelt; sisters-in-law, Sally Shufelt and Jean Schoen; brother-in-law, Tom (Sharon) Schoen; several nieces and nephews and many friends. Neal was predeceased by his brother, Barry Shufelt and brothers-in-law, Don (Cheryl) Schoen, Ron Schoen and Tom Lalyer.

Calling Hours at the Ackley-Mills Funeral Home, 9597 Main Street in Remsen, will be held on Thursday, July 10, 2025 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.

Services will be held at Remsen United Methodist Church, 9654 Main Street, on Friday, July 11, 2025 at 10:00 am. For an online message of sympathy please go to www.millsfuneralhomes.com. Burial Prospect Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Remsen Sports Boosters Club.