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J. Kyle Neal, 63, of Bon WIer passed away Saturday, September 6, 2008 at Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital. Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at Forest Oaks Chapel in Jasper. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service on Wednesday.
A lifelong resident of the Jasper area he is survived by his son Ross Neal & wife Angie of Kingwood, Tx, a sister Sandra Sheffield & husband Jerry of Jasper, and 3 grandsons Barrett, Hayes, and Brady. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Memorial Services are under the direction of Forest Oaks Funeral Home & Crematory of Jasper.
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Roy Isom
Kyle! Kyle! Kyle! -- So many memories. No way I can list them all or even want to try. Maybe his sister, Sandra, will not mind if I mention a few.Kyle would hire me (i don't think he ever paid anything) to be the designated driver to Leesville, LA, and back—primarily back, since I never drank.
He used to get a kick out of letting me drive his Parent's cadillac while he set in the rear and called me “James” as he directed me to drive here and there. I did not really need the direction since everybody knew there was only five things to do in Jasper – Top Burger, Bowling Alley, movie theatre, drive-in theatre, Forest Hill's Restaurant.
I remember Kyle driving so slow in the snow in 1960 that I jumped out of the car and raced him on foot on old Hwy 63.
We had several classes together. Kyle admired Mr. Ortscheid, but that did not keep us from going to the free “Senior movie” the night before our Physics final and spending most of the rest of the night seeing who could make their senior ring spin the longest.
Our Freshman year in college, he attended Texas A & M University. I went to the University of Texas. My first trip home did not come for about six weeks. I took off a day early and hitch hiked to College Station using my University of Texas decal emblazoned suit case. It took me seven rides to get there; walked across the A&M campus with my suitcase; spent the night with Kyle. Next morning I hitch hiked seven more rides to Sam Houston State University; stayed with several friends that Friday night. Then seven more rides on Saturday to get home.
Kyle and I lived together in an apartment the summer/fall of 1966 in Houston, TX. He worked at Texas Instruments and went to South Texas College at night. Actually, I lived in his closet. It was a large closet that would hold a full size cot as a bed for me.
Kyle fell in love with a dancer. Not just any dancer. She had an act. Her pet Boa would assist her in her act. It was a very appealing act, especially since she would lead Kyle, and others as well, on to thinking that she would meet him at another spot after she finished work. Never happened, but Kyle certainly wanted to kill this messenger when I finally convinced him I was right.
Our friendship continued after I went back to U-T. He returned home, got married and helped run his Father's business. When I moved to Jasper in 1977, he was one of the first to bring me business.
Kyle became somewhat of a recluse. He loved his ranching activities, kept his humorous thoughts and seldom ventured to town. We communicated by email a couple of times, but Kyle had made it to a place in life where he wanted to be; and there he stayed.