Neville was born in 1927 in San Francisco but soon moved to Altadena, California with her parents and two siblings. It was here, in the San Gabriel Mountains foothill community, that she developed her strong sense of independence and adventure. She spent her days exploring the trails, climbing trees, and wading in the creeks near her childhood home on Homewood Drive. She once owned a donkey and befriended an owl, but her most treasured companion was her Pointer dog, who joined her in exploration. She was an avid equestrian and was known to walk all the way to Eaton Canyon Stables in order to ride.
Nevill attended Mayfield School and South Pasadena High School (class of 1944) before enrolling at Cal Berkeley. Although she never graduated, she fondly remembered her time there, including the fun she had with friends and her introduction to skiing. In 1950, her love of adventure led Nevill to work in the airlines, first at United and later with Pan Am. During this time, she ran into Bob McInerny, whom she had met years prior at San Onofre Beach. They married in 1952.
Parenthood, Travel, Service, and Business
Bob loved the beach while Nevill loved the mountains, so they split their time between Pasadena and St. Malo Beach in Oceanside. She raised her five children — one girl and four boys — in both places and loved being their mom. She threw herself into all kinds of activities and sports, from Little League to tennis to track, football, and basketball. As the chidden grew and her free time expanded, she traveled the world with Bob, volunteered at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Pasadena Art Alliance, and with the help of two friends, established the Sadler Merrill Company, an antiques and decorating business.
Perhaps her greatest personal passion was following and investing in the stock market. She was self-taught, subscribed to “Value Line,” and eventually set up the retirement plan for her husband’s insurance business. She joined an investment group with other women friends and was a natural on the computer even into her nineties.
Nevil passed away in the spring of 2021 at the age of 93, and her endowment will support PCF’s local grantmaking in the areas of Environment & Animal Welfare, Health & Safety, and Human Services.
A Legacy of Empathy and Compassion
For Nevill’s daughter Kate, her mother’s lifetime of empathy, compassion, and concern for those who struggle is her legacy. “She was the mom all kids could go to when they couldn’t go to their own, and she was beloved for this. She was a quiet advocate for the lost and struggling. Anyone, without exception, who came into Nevill’s orbit experienced a magical sense of inclusiveness and importance. Her charm was undeniable. She was interested in others, a good listener, and the most supportive friend imaginable.”
“My mother would have been so deeply honored to know she has an endowment in her name. It would bring her to tears! She would take to heart the social value and potential such an endowment presents. In PCF’s hands, we know that this endowment will support the things Nevill most cared about: her compassion for social welfare issues, her beloved San Gabriel mountains, and animals.”
Grantmaking Impact
Through this fund, PCF has been able to
- Provide sustained funding
- Offer consistent financial support for our local grantmaking programs throughout Greater Pasadena.
- Enhance community programs
- Empower organizations to expand their services and reach more individuals in need.
- Support flexibility
- Allows PCF to direct resources when and where they are needed most, respond quickly to emerging needs, and fill funding gaps that restricted gifts can’t cover.
Contact Us
For more information about PCF giving opportunities, please contact
Pasadena Community Foundation
301 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 810
Pasadena, CA., 91101
626.796.2097
pcfstaff@pasadenacf.org
