Neil Storck Sugermeyer

Neil Sugermeyer, 83, of Smithfield passed away on Friday, September 15, 2023. He was the son of the late George Henry Sugermeyer and Eleanor Gruver Sugermeyer. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Martha Reese Sugermeyer; daughter, Elizabeth Cara Campbell (Michael); son, Andrew Rolf Sugermeyer (Evelyn); grandchildren Sophie and Michael; brother Robert Sugermeyer (Donna); and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Christine Crowe.

Neil was born in Bronxville General Hospital on December 21, 1939. His family moved to Yonkers, NY where  he was raised. In 1944 his sister Chris was born and his brother Bob was born four years later. After high school  he attended Young Harris Junior College. Following his graduation, he worked for a year as a painter in an  auto repair shop. Then he went to Guilford College where he earned his bachelors degree. After graduation, he joined the Navy and began officer training and training to be a pilot. His first deployment was flying helicopters aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard during the Vietnam War.

After his obligated service, he briefly got out of the Navy but missed flying so he rejoined and was sent to Pensacola Florida as an instructor pilot. He assumed that they were going to have him instructing in helicopters, but they needed instructors in fixed wing and he wound up teaching advanced acrobatics. It was during this time that he met and married Martha Reese. His third deployment was to fly helicopters in Antarctica with research scientists in that very challenging environment. He proudly served for twenty-one years. Following his Navy career, he worked as a house painter for over a decade.

Cars became Neil’s passion in his teen years when he and a buddy bought a Model T and fixed the mechanics so that they could drive it up and down the driveway. His mothers spotted an antique car restoration shop and asked if Neil could come and watch. This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Al Nippert. They worked on cars together and traveled to car shows and gatherings for the next sixty plus years. While in college, Neil would write to Al every week telling him how many days until he would be back and Al replied telling Neil which cars he was working on and the other friends who had come to his shop. In 1960 they attended their first Franklin Trek in Syracuse NY. Neil and Marty recently attended his 55th Franklin Trek.

Neil was a very friendly person and the antique car hobby supplied many long term friends for over 70 years. In 1978 the Navy moved him, Marty, and their two children to Virginia. He was deployed aboard the USS Guam for much of the next two years. Somewhere around 1980, Neil and Marty returned to the Trek and also joined Tidewater Region AACA. After a few months in the group, they were helping to plan and prepare club activities. Neil served as president of TRAACA in 1997 and 1998. During that time, Marty agreed to write the monthly club newsletter. Neil really became the editor-in-chief because he needed to correct details about the cars and add a lot of commas. In 2008 Marty’s coeditor, Ivie Lister passed away and Neil took over that position so they did the newsletter for the next five years. Neil also put in decades laying out the field for the local meets. That was a job he began with another very long term friend, Terry Bond. Neil and Terry also went to Pennsylvania together to go antiquing and wind up on the field at the mega car swap meet and show in Hershey PA. Over the decades in the antique car hobby, Neil and Marty have made many long lasting friendships with people around the country and around the world.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday September 30, 2023, 1 p.m. at Littles Funeral Home, Smithfield. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or United Service Organizations (USO). Online condolences may be registered at www.littlesfuneralhome.com.