Eugene McNeany was born on May 22, 1891, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. On June 26, 1918, he married Ellen V. Gault of Marengo, Illinois. Their observed their golden wedding anniversary in 1968. He died on October 12, 1970, while living in Naples, Florida, at the age of 79.

The McNeany’s had a store in Marengo, Illinois and in 1924 stopped in Beloit on their way home to Beaver Dam to look at a department store they were interested in buying. While they were enjoying a malted milk at Weisneers (later Walgreens) drugstore and soda fountain in the former Goodwin Block, they saw Bailey’s Dry Goods across the street. They decided to walk through the store and made it known that if the store was for sale, they’d be interested. That was in 1924. The following year the store was theirs.

The business grew and prospered, with McNeany’s being the largest of Beloit’s retail stores. The store had 39 employees when the McNeany’s took it over in 1925, 150 were on the payroll in 1955 and up to 200 during the holiday shopping seasons.

A celebration of thirty years under McNeany leadership in 1955 was highlighted by the presentation to Eugene McNeany, Sr., of a large scrapbook containing pictures and memorabilia pertaining to the store and the senior McNeany’s travels and his exploits as a sportsman. The book was put together by a long-time McNeany Associate, Mrs. O.E. (Esther) Loomis of Rockton, Illinois. Mr. McNeany related “that everyone in Beloit either has worked or had a relative who worked for them” at one time or other.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church and its Holy Name Society. He was a member of the Elks Lodge and a charter member of the Sierra Club. He was a third and fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Joseph E. Hanz Assembly and was active in numerous programs of the Catholic churches of Beloit.

The McNeany’s also had a home on Lake Geneva and he was active on behalf of St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church in that city. He was a former member and president of the Beloit Country Club and was one of the early members of the Beloit Commercial Club, forerunner of the Greater Beloit Association of Commerce.