Neil M. Bambrick

Neil M. Bambrick, 68, of Fairfield Township, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home on Thursday, March 16, 2023.  Born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 16, 1954, he was the son of Robert and Loretta Bambrick. As the fifth-born of ten children, Neil’s childhood was guided by his parents who provided a framework of faith and love and where he and his siblings benefitted from their parents’ experience as former Marines with organization and always a healthy dose of fun. Neil attended Cathedral Latin High School and graduated in 1972.  He attended Ohio University and initially began working in banking with his father who was an attorney. He went on to enter the automotive industry and established his career, first in sales, then finance, and then as a leader in management.

Neil met his future wife, Laurie (DeLong) and continued to live in Cleveland until January of 1980.  He then moved to Bradenton, Florida where he worked for Conley Buick, managing insurance and financing.  Neil and Laurie married in September 1980, they have two sons, Patrick, and Michael, and in 2022 celebrated 42 years of marriage. They resided in Bradenton, Florida until December 1987 when they moved to Cincinnati where Neil became the Dealer-Operator for Conley Buick.

Neil was immersed in the automotive industry and during his career served in management for Performance Toyota and at Jeff Wyler Auto Group. For the last 27 years, Neil has been a dedicated employee and served as General Manager at Honda East for Bill Woeste of the Beechmont Automotive Group. He was a member of the Cincinnati Auto Dealers Association and during his tenure, also served as President of CADA.

Neil was a faithful and founding member of St. Maximillian Kolbe Parish.   He had a passionate love of others and his church. He had a foundational understanding of the Bible and Catholic Catechism and possessed a deep-seated faith in the Lord.  Neil served on the Parish Council, assisted Pastor John E. Porter and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati during planning and construction of the church, and participated in the Praise & Worship, Life in the Spirit, and Healing Ministries of St. Max. Neil and Laurie volunteered in coordinating musical and speaker events for Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center in Norwood, Ohio and were active in the Cincinnati Chapter of Mother of the Eucharist and Grace Healing Ministry. Over the years, Neil was called to use his gifts to pray with and offer hope, love, and forgiveness to thousands of the faithful. Neil was known as a profoundly generous man and contributed to numerous charities and organizations including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the TriHealth/CCHMC Fetal Care Center, Elizabeth New Life Center, the Free Store Food Bank, the St. Jude Children’s Hospital, as well as the Arthritis Foundation. Additionally, Neil and Laurie sponsor orphans from Croatia and Guatemala.

One of Neil’s wonderful gifts was his sense of humor and quick wit, never missing an opportunity to share a laugh with others. Family and friends note that he never met a stranger, was always willing to listen to others, was a giving person, had a positive outlook, and displayed tremendous courage in the face of hard times. Neil had the ability to provide perspective to challenging situations and was a calm and steady presence for those in distress. Perhaps his greatest gift was his love of others, most especially his wife, sons, grandsons, and family, always embracing their times together. In addition, Neil was an avid sports enthusiast. In his younger years, he played baseball, football, basketball, and golf, and coached his children’s basketball teams.  At the age of fifteen, Neil wrote an essay that won him the honor of becoming a bat boy for the Cleveland Indians for a season. As a native son, he loved the Cleveland Browns and eventually adopted the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals as favorite teams. Over the years, he could be found most anytime watching golf, basketball, football, or baseball and was an ardent fan of the Cincinnati Reds.

Neil was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Loretta Bambrick, and brother Patrick Bambrick. Neil is survived by his loving wife, Laurie (DeLong) Bambrick; sons, Patrick (Jennifer) Bambrick and Michael (Abigail) Bambrick; grandchildren, Andrew Bambrick, Finn Bambrick, and Benjamin Bambrick; siblings, Loretta "Sue" Crowley, Robert Bambrick, James (Angela) Bambrick, Daniel (Cathleen) Bambrick, Bruce Bambrick, Michael (Ellen) Bambrick, William (Lisa) Bambrick, and Rita (Rob) O'Brien; many nieces and nephews; and numerous loving family members and friends.

Family and friends will gather for visitation Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Mueller Funeral Home, 6791 Tylersville Road, Mason, Ohio 45040.  A second Visitation will be Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 10:00 AM until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, 5720 Hamilton Mason Road, Liberty Township, OH 45011. Ashes will be interred at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the TriHealth Cancer Institute through the Good Samaritan Foundation, 375 Dixmyth Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220, (513) 862-3788.

Mueller Funeral Home is honored to serve the Bambrick family.  You are invited to the website (www.muellerfunerals.com) and leave a personal message for Neil’s family.