Jackie D Neal

Jackie D. NealFuneral services for Jackie Donald Neal (80) of Monroe, will be held at 11:00 AM, Thursday, April 23, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church of Monroe, with Rev. J. Roddy Taylor officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Calhoun, LA, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home of Monroe. Mr. Neal passed away on Monday, April 20, 2015, at Avalon Nursing Home in Monroe. Mr. Neal was a retired Director of Monroe Parks and Recreation where he worked 34 years, and also worked at ULM for 20 years as the Service Center Director of the Activity Center. Mr. Neal was an Army veteran. Born in Farmerville, he graduated from Neville High School in 1953 and later earned a B.S. from Northeast Louisiana State College in 1958.Mr. Neal played outfield and hit lead off for Neville High School’s 1953 state championship baseball team, the first state champion Neville produced in any sport. He earned a baseball scholarship to Northeast Louisiana State College where he played for Coach George Luffey, thus ensued a lifelong friendship. Mr. Neal gave untold numbers of young boys and girls their first real jobs as summer employees for the Monroe Recreation Department. He was the face of the Monroe Recreation and Parks Department for anyone associated with, who took part in, or who utilized the many programs, activities, and facilities under his direction. He was considered by all who knew him to be among the most dedicated individuals to his profession. Moreover, he was an excellent coach, sports official and mentor. His accomplishments included organizing the first Dixie Senior Baseball Program in 1963 which created a league for 15-17 year old players in 13 southern states. Monroe hosted and won the first Dixie Senior World Series in 1963 and after finishing runner-up in the 1965 World Series, Monroe won again in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969. Mr. Neal head coached the 1966 and 1967 championship teams. He was the long time Louisiana State Director for Dixie Major Baseball. He and Monroe served as host of the 1976 Dixie Major World Series which was played in and won by the Monroe host team, which his son, Mike, played on. On his watch, there were more youth and adult baseball, softball, and basketball teams playing in Monroe’s leagues than at any time before or since. Mr. Neal was well known for motivating the Baseball, Softball, and Basketball Boards to help the Recreation Department improve its facilities and programs. A very accomplished baseball, basketball, and football official, he assigned officials for elementary, junior high, and high schools throughout Northeast Louisiana. Mr. Neal was instrumental in securing the funding and planning for the operation of Chennault Park Complex which brought Northeast Louisiana its first 18 hole public golf course and large regional park. Mr. Neal was preceded in death by his wives, Kathleen Hennessy Neal and Marie Crawford Neal.Survivors include his son, Mark J. Neal and wife Rhonda; their children, Noah and Nathan Neal, of Monroe; son, Michael S. Neal and wife Jana; their children, Caroline and Cambridge, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; step-son, Jon Newcomer; sister, Judy McCready and husband Mike, of Oxford, Mississippi; nephews Neal, Ryan and Timothy McCready.Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in the Chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home of Monroe. Pallbearers will be Frank Scalia, Petey Smith, Pat Dayton, Mackie Ashton, Stein Baughman, Freddie Cascio and Billy Pee. Honorary pallbearers will be George Luffey, Billy Vallery, Nat Smith, Dr. Mark Napoli, Camille Currier, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo, ULM President Dr. Nick Bruno, Roy Holloway and Jeff Golson. The family wishes to send special thanks to Drs. Mark Napoli, Richard O’Donovan, Michael McCormick, the staff at Avalon Nursing Home and Azalea Estates for their kind and compassionate care. Lastly, the family sincerely thanks the staff and customers of his home away from home during the last 5 years of his life--Freddie Cascio’s Italian Restaurant--for their love and friendship of Mr. Neal. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Monroe Youth Baseball Association, (MYBA), PO Box 14826, Monroe, LA 71207. Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.comMulhearn Funeral HomeSterlington RoadMonroe, LA