Cornelius Driscoll, Jr.

Mr. Cornelius Driscoll, Jr., age 82 passed peacefully from this world on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at home in the company of his beloved son, Daniel Driscoll, a dear family friend, Nancy Mead, and his faithful canine friend, Shelby. Neil, as he was fondly known, was born on April 18, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York to Cornelius Driscoll and Rose Horton Driscoll. The son of an Irish immigrant father and English immigrant mother, Neil often joked his parental home was always on the brink of war.

Neil attended Fort Hamilton High School and Brooklyn Tech. He entered the Navy at age 17 and served in Hawaii as an Aviation Electrician during the Korean War. After leaving service he met and married Gail Beattie Driscoll whose family has resided in York County for more than 250 years. Gail was attending secretarial/finishing school at the prestigious Catherine Gibbs School in New York. The Driscoll's lived next door in Brooklyn to Gail's, Uncle Pat and Aunt Ruth Norton whom she was residing with while attending school.

After marrying in 1956, the young couple relocated to the Charlotte, N.C. region at the behest of World War I flying ace, Eddie Rickenbacker. Neil was one of the first employees at Eastern Airlines in Charlotte, N.C. Neil often referred to himself as the original "Damn Yankee". During the Jim Crow years, Neil sat up with Eleanor Roosevelt and her African-American Assistant at the old Charlotte Airport all night until they could make their connecting flight the next day. No hotel would rent rooms to her and her assistant. Neil, being his usual hospitable self, invited them both to his home, but Mrs. Roosevelt and her assistant chose to sit up all night to "make a point" and he sat up with them.

Neil was one of the few people chosen to escort a ‘moon rock' to its final destination after the first trip to the moon, he was also selected for the inaugural flight of the 747. Neil Driscoll was the ground manager on duty the day that ill-fated Eastern Airlines flight 212 crashed in Charlotte killing 72 people. It fell to him in the days that followed to provide a buffer between the families and the press as they arrived to claim the remains of their loved ones. He often suffered nightmares from this event the rest of his life.

As with other retirees and employees, Neil lost the majority of his retirement fund due to the mismanagement of Frank Lorenzo who bankrupted Eastern Airlines. But Neil did not let that get him down. He promptly began tending bar and engaging the public with his charm and wit. He continued to work until his 76th year.

As Neil's children we remember many interesting and humorous events. My youngest brother who was just a teen at the time, describes the time he went to the beach supposedly to join his older brother, Danny. Michael arrived unannounced after Danny had left to go home. Mom was out of her mind with worry and called our Dad who she was legally separated from at the time, to go to Myrtle Beach with her and look for Michael. They managed to track him down and showed up unannounced. Mom was tearing through the house looking for her angel, while Dad went out back toward the beach. There he found Michael hanging out with a group of beautiful young women who had adopted him. He stood there looking at his youngest and informed him that if he had let him know instead of disappearing he would have come with him. Instead he now had to leave and face the consequences. Despite having no idea Michael had come to the beach, poor Danny received the brunt of the blame from our mother.

The family would like to thank the staff and volunteers of Hospice & Community Care of Rock Hill and Hospice of Union County for their wonderful care of our father in his last weeks of life. We especially are grateful to Frankie and Joy for helping us through those last difficult days. We would also like to thank Rhonda Burgess, our Dad's dear friend, for the devoted companionship and care she gave to him over the last months of his life.

Neil is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gail Beattie Driscoll, his children, Keith and wife Dottie Bryant of Matthews, N.C., Connie Driscoll Miller and husband Richard L. Miller of Bethel Township, Clover, SC; Michael Driscoll and his wife Lori H. Driscoll of Fayetteville, N.C.; Daniel A. Driscoll of Bethel Township, Clover, SC; 10 grandchildren Daniel, Michael, Jeremiah, Philip, Rebekah, Patrick, Paul, Kelly, Jill and John and 5 great grandchildren, Brady, Cohen, Sara Grace, Kennedy and Rachel. He is also survived by his beloved nephew, Cliff Jacobsen of Staten Island, N.Y. He is predeceased by his parents, Cornelius and Rose Driscoll, his sister and brother-in-law, Carl and Eileen Jacobsen, and a nephew, Kenneth Jacobsen.

Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 1:00 pm at The Oratory Church at the Rock Hill Oratory, 434 Charlotte Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29730.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to The Rock Hill Oratory, PO Box 11586, Rock Hill, SC 29731; Hospice & Community Care of Rock Hill, SC 29731; or Hospice of Union County, 700 W Roosevelt Blvd, Monroe, NC 28110.

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