Memorials › Charles Arthur Neel Sr
Charles Arthur Neel Sr
29 Dec 1933 – 1 Dec 1995
| Birth | 29 Dec 1933 |
| Death | 1 Dec 1995 |
| Cemetery | Garden of Memories Cemetery Lufkin , Angelina County , Texas , USA |
| Added by | Beverly Singleton on 22 Apr 2011 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68666391 |
Bio
Born in Timpson,Texas, Charles Arthur Neel, Sr. was the son of a Presbyterian minister. He moved with his family to Atlanta, Texas, where he graduated from high school in 1951. He joined the Navy in 1952 where he served as an aviation electronics technician (navigator/radio man) on a PVY Neptune aircraft looking for subs in the "Korean Conflict." Out of the Navy, he entered Stephen F. Austin University, but decided to persue a career in law enforcement before getting his degree...which he did 30 years later! He joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a Highway Patrolman in 1957, stationed in Beaumont, Texas. He married Gloria Ann Grainger in Timpson, TX on July 19, 1957, with his father performing the ceremony. In 1962, he was promoted to Polygraph Operator and assigned to Houston, Texas. He served in Houston until he was asked to join the Texas Rangers in 1965. As a Texas Ranger, he was stationed in Lufkin, Texas for most of his career. He served with Captain Pete Rogers during the Huntsville Prison siege on August 4, 1974, where the Texas Rangers confronted Fred Carrasco, Ignacio Cuevas and Rudolfo Dominguez, and killed Carrasco and Dominguez to end an 11-day escape attempt at the prison. Two women hostages were killed by the convicts. During his service with the Texas Rangers, he was accepted and graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA. This was only one of the many schools he attended over the years in order to improve his investigative skills. He retired from the Texas Rangers in 1981 and spent his last years as Chief of Corporate Security for Temple Inland in Diboll, TX. He was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lufkin, where he served as an Elder, choir member and youth group leader. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Beaumont and an active member of the Scottish Rite Temple in the Lufkin Chapter. With several other Shriner brothers, he participated in the "mini bike gang" and rode in parades and various other fund raising activities. He and wife, Gloria, also chaperoned groups of children to the Shrine Circus in Houston every year. Children of Charles Arthur Neel, Sr. and Gloria Ann Grainger Neel are: Charles Arthur Neel, Jr. (married to Cecelia Shepard); Donna Andrea Neel Gilbert (married to Bo Gilbert); George Anson Neel (married to Nancy Patterson) Grandchildren: From Charles : Krista Renee Neel, Travis Alan Neel and Carlee Ann Neel; Step grandchildren Ben, Will and Caleb Cameron. From Andrea: Megan Elyse Bontempo and Tricia Neel Bontempo; Step grandchild Kaitlynn Brierty Gilbert. From Anson: Step grandchildren Sandra (husband, Jason) Godwin and Jeff (wife, Lindsay) Hazelwood. Step great grandchildren Courtney Godwin, Austin Godwin. Known as Charlie by his close friends,he enjoyed boating,fishing and camping.He was also proficient as a gardener. He loved working in his yard and small garden. If one tomato plant would do, he'd plant 40! During the last year of his life, he and wife, Glo, spent most of their time on their houseboat, the "Take Five", on Lake Sam Rayburn entertaining kids, grand kids and many friends. He left a void in all of our lives and we love and miss him dearly!!
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