Obituary of Neal Ralph Rand

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Neal R. Rand, an antique car enthusiast and above all a devoted family man passed on Tuesday morning, June 4^th, 2024, from injuries suffered in an accident, with his family by his side.  He was 86 years old. Neal was born in Woburn and grew up in the Fulton Heights section of North Medford.  He was the son of Ralph and Eva (Magnuson) Rand.  From an early age he was fascinated with anything that had an engine.  His dad bought him his first car to work on prior to him having a driving license.  He went to Medford Vocational High School Class of 1955 where he studied automotive repair.  One of the cars the class worked on was a Ford Model A.  It became one of his favorite cars to restore.  Over his lifetime he owned numerous Model A’s, 1930 Phaeton, 1934 Pick Up, 2 1929 Woody’s, 1929 Coupe with a rumble seat, a 1930 Victoria, a 1931 slant windshield, and numerous others.  He was an automobile purist.  He wanted original engines and none of the modern accessories.  He did the restoration from the frame up doing the body work engine rebuild, sheet metal, electrical, and even the paint.  He once picked up a 1929 Woody in Pennsylvania that was destroyed in a fire.  The vehicle was so damaged that all the salvageable parts fit in the back of a truck.  It took a few years, but he brought the car back to life.  He loved going to car shows with his family.  There was a yearly fall pilgrimage to Hershey Pennsylvania.  He drove his cars to shows in Stowe VT, Bennington, VT, and numerous shows in Massachusetts.  He would have four or five of his cars in the local parades.  He and his children and grandchildren would drive the cars while the great grandchildren threw candy to the spectators.  The monies he won all went back to the town he loved, Royalton VT.  He drove several of his cars to Pennsylvania without driving on the highway to visit his family.  His antique cars were not just “Trailer Queens”, they were drivers, enjoying road trips through the beautiful settings of Vermont with his wife and friends.   Over the last few years, he had been gradually thinning out his collection.  He was in many car clubs including the North Country Model A Club, White Mountain Model A Ford Club, National Woody Club, Model A Ford Club of America, and the Willy’s Club.  He loved talking shop with fellow collectors, talking about his restorations, and keeping his restorations looking and running perfect.  He was so proud that his grandchildren used his cars for their weddings and of course Neal was the Chauffeur.    

Neal and his family were avid snowmobilers.  He was a member of the Vermont Association of Snowmobile Travelers.  It was a family sport with all the family having their own sleds.  There could be as many as 20 snowmobiles in the family convoy spending the day riding in Vermont or New Hampshire.  Neal was always the trail leader and mechanic if anyone ran into a problem. He would make the rides entertaining with special destinations, scenery, and lunches.  Sometimes it was a campfire with hot dogs cooked on the fire.  He made the trips memorable and gave his family a sport that they could do together.

Neal earned his pilot’s license in 1969.   He purchased his own plane, a Cessna which he maintained and kept at the TEWMAC Airport in Tewksbury.  He flew all over Massachusetts, Cape Cod, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont.  He wouldn’t hesitate to fly to his Vermont vacation home and land on a makeshift runway in the middle of a neighbor’s cornfield. 

Neal was a proud brother and member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 4 Boston for 69 years. He followed his father’s footsteps in joining the union and was very proud to see his son and then his grandson follow his footsteps in joining Local 4.  He operated and ran crane services for several companies over the years.  He helped work on the Medford to Stoneham section of Route I-93 highway.  He also worked on commercial construction projects all around Boston and the surrounding suburbs working for Eastern Erection, Crane Rental, and Baldwin Crane and Equipment. He was a precise operator, could fix any piece of equipment, and was an excellent mentor for younger members of the union learning the ins and outs of the trade.  In his later years he became a sales consultant for the services he mastered so well.  He retired in 1999 at the age of 62 so he could pursue his hobbies and dreams.

Neal and his wife Carol Ann grew up together. They had the same circle of friends, went for ice cream as kids, were high school sweethearts, and married when Neal was 21 and Carol Ann was 18.  They started their life together in an apartment in Medford.  They saved enough money to buy their first home in Burlington in 1965.  It was there that they raised their 3 children.  He was someone who set expectations for his children.  He could be tough, but fair.  He was always there to lend a helping hand or offer some words of advice.  He wanted to instill a strong work ethic, a sense of responsibility, and pride in whatever they did.  Chores were expected to be done and family responsibilities always came first.  He loved to have a good time, entertain family and friends for holidays and around his pool on warm summer days.  He loved it as his family grew with marriages, births of grandchildren and great grandchildren. His grandchildren called him “Grampa” and his great grandchildren called him “GG”.  He was much easier going in his later years, often spoiling his grandchildren. Neal and Carol Ann purchased a property with 10 ½ acres in South Royalton Vermont in 1976.  It was the family vacation and gathering spot for the past 48 years.  It was their special place that has created lasting family memories and kept the family bond strong.  In 1999 Neal and Carol Ann made Vermont their full-time home.  There was lots of room for the family and garages and barns for Neal to work on his cars.  For 20 years the couple spent three months every year in Marco Island, Florida.  They traveled cross country in their motor home and traveled to St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, St. Johns, Canada, and Alaska to name a few of their adventures.  Neal was a wonderful husband, an incredible father, and fun and loving Grampa and GG.  He was an incredibly hard worker, was always up for an adventure, loved his family immensely, and followed his passions.  He will lovingly be remembered and never forgotten.

Neal was the beloved husband of 66 years to Carol Ann (Gravelle) Rand.  He was the proud father of Lynda Smith & her husband James of Cranberry Township, PA, Kathleen Rand of Bedford, NH, and the late Christopher Rand & his surviving wife Karen Rand of Newton, NH.  He was the brother of Marjorie VanGalen & her husband William of Peabody, the late Richard and Chester Rand.  He was the loving grandfather of Erin Smith & her fiancée Derek Whitaker of New Castle, PA, Ryan Sunderland & his wife Robin of North Billerica, MA Graham Hughes & his fiancée Taylor Wright of Londonderry, NH, Adam Rand and his partner Shelly Rubin of Danvers, MA, Jennifer Kennedy & her husband Patrick of Raymond, NH, and the late Erik Rand.  He was the great grandfather of Melanie, Michael & Jonathan Rand, Jack, Benjamin, & Owen Kennedy, and Oliver & Quentin Sunderland.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 11 from 4-7 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at the Sullivan Funeral Home on Wednesday, June 12 at 11 a.m.  Services will conclude with a burial at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park in Peabody.  Memorials in Neal’s name may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, www.afsp.org.  For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net