01/13/2026 12:15:33 PMObituaryobituaryPerry Reese McNeill, 89, Professor Emeritus of engineering technology and former Denton mayor who taught at UNT from 1990 to 2006, died Dec. 16, 2025. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he earned an associate’s degree in electronics engineering technology at Oklahoma State University and worked at Sandia Corp. in San Antonio. He then returned to earn a bachelor’s in mathematics, a master’s in natural science and a doctorate in education at OSU, where he taught in the College of Engineering for many years. He served as head of the electronics engineering department at the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo before joining UNT, where he developed and directed a new bachelor’s program in electronics engineering technology. He also was a registered professional engineer in Oklahoma and Texas, and his work included projects for the Ford Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; the World Bank in Yemen and Algeria; and the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.  As a graduate of the Leadership Denton program, he became interested in civic engagement and served as chairman of the board of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, was elected to the Denton City Council, where he served for six years, and was mayor of Denton from 2006 to 2008. Survivors include June McNeill, his wife of 69 years. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for 10:30 am. Jan. 17 at Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church, 300 West Oak Street in Denton.