Mark Gil Neary was a sincere and good friend to me and many others who knew him personally. He was kind, thoughtful, generous, and always smiling with great spirit. He loved his exotic icon status life on Fire Island.
Sadly, he lost his life in a car accident while driving in Hollowell, Maine, on August 23, 2024.
Gil was born on April 22, 1957, grew up in Queens, studied Real Estate at Baruch College and the New York Institute of Technology, and furthered his education in Paris. He became a successful businessman as a partner in Bank-Neary Real Estate in NYC and lived in Manhattan with his partner of 35 years, Scott Riedel.
Gil loved to entertain, throwing fabulous parties on Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Christmas Eve, and other special gatherings. He was famous for kicking off the Fire Island Pines party season to celebrate his Birthday in April.
Gil wrote a social column, “Ask Bambi Sue,” for HX Magazine. In 2015, he became a contributor for the Fire Island News and stayed with the publication for several years.
Gil was recently facing health challenges, slowly recovering from a cancer battle over the summer. Still, he maintained his vibrant social life, attending all parties, fundraisers, and events in the Pines and Cherry Grove.
He felt strong enough to enjoy some travel time up north in Maine.
Shortly before his trip, he had been honored at the Pines Party for his many contributions to the Fire Island Pines community over the past 25 years.
