William Field de Neergaard

William Field de Neergaard, born August 25, 1923, died at his home in Naples on the morning of June 5, 2017 with his wife by his bedside.
Born, raised and educated in Brooklyn, NY, he was a resident of Roslyn Harbor, Long Island, New York and moved to Naples (Wilderness Country Club) in 1998.
William served for 2 1/2 years in the U. S. Navy during WWII in the Amphibious Forces, Pacific, aboard the USS Wyandot as a landing boat officer. Following the post-war completion of his pharmacy degree requirements at the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy of LIU, he enrolled at Syracuse University and received a bachelor's degree.
In 1948 he entered the family retail pharmacy business, founded by his grandfather, an immigrant from Denmark, in 1888 in Brooklyn. The main store has been open 24 hours a day from 1903 until present and until 1960 was one of only 2 retail pharmacies in New York City open 24 hours.
In addition to operating 3 pharmacies, William was active in various national pharmacy and Brooklyn Community organizations. He was a Trustee, The Greater New York Savings Bank from 1963-98;Trustee Emeritus, Long Island University, 1988 - to date; Member Emeritus and former chairman, Council of Overseers, Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy, LIU, 1963 - to date; member and former president, New York State Board of Pharmacy, 1967-78; Trustee, Faith Home Foundation, Brooklyn, 1975-2004; Former Trustee, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Navy YMCA of Brooklyn; Former member and president, Brooklyn Rotary Club; Former member and chairman, Brooklyn Advisory Board, The Salvation Army; and Elder, Roslyn Presbyterian Church. In 1957 he was recognized as Young Man of the Year, Brooklyn Junior Chamber of Commerce; 1981, Outstanding Alumnus, AMS College of Pharmacy, LIU; 1987, Man of the Year, Montauk Club of Brooklyn; and 1998, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, LIU.
William is survived by his loving wife of 27 years, Helene Gaillet de Neergaard; his children, Amelia, William Jr., Cathrine, and Ann; and 4 grandchildren.
A private reception honoring William will be held at a future date.

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