James "Jimmy" Addison Neill

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of James “Jimmy” Addison Neill, and yet we also celebrate with earnest his amazing 88 years of life as a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend.
Jimmy was born in 1929 in Vienna, Louisiana, to Lula and Ross Neill, and his siblings included his sister, Mona Neill Cheatwood, and his brothers, Fred Neill and Ross C. Neill, Jr.
Jimmy grew up in Ruston, Louisiana, attending Ruston High School and Louisiana Tech University. After college, Jimmy was drafted into the United States Army where he served in the Korean conflict. After being honorably discharged from the service, he moved to Monroe and worked for Lincoln National Insurance. By virtue of his discipline, hard work, and charm, he was an outstanding producer for Lincoln, which in later years enabled he and his wife, Doris (affectionately known as “Dottie”), to travel extensively and witness the grandeur of our world.
But Jimmy did not only witness the world, he truly bore his witness, to both the beautiful and the sorrowful, from which he learned and from which he grew. He had the impassioned drive of a renaissance man, known as an avid outdoorsman, but, as he was surely an artist trapped in a hunter and fisherman’s body, Jimmy also beheld and contributed to those around him a poetic, heartfelt grace.
They say it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become world-class in any field; in Jimmy's case, one might rightly assume he took that as a bet from the Universe, and given the extent to which Jimmy availed life, one could also speculate that he gladly upped the ante. Jimmy was an expert sportsman, a keen sensor of large mouth bass, a premier fish fryer, a studious golfer, a masterful woodworker, a disciple of the lake and sea, an aptly-eyed connoisseur of art, a purveyor of knowledge and humor, a sincere listener, and a devout companion of both two- and four-legged friends. Later in the life he taught himself the intricacies of sketching, and he used his talents as a gift to others in sketching portraits of their families, their hunting dogs, and their homes and favored getaways. Even in his 80’s, Jimmy learned the art of boat building, devotedly crafting vessels of various shapes and sizes, each endeavor truly deserving of a mark of pride.
All who knew Jimmy knew that the energy of his spirit was wide and undeterred. For any such man, it takes a true and steadily aimed sense of courage to tame such an ample spirit (and indeed a glass or two of patience for the Dottie, but not with too much water, of course), yet the thing about courage is that a man must first make peace with his own vulnerability before he can be any bit courageous. It is clear, without the slightest doubt, that Jimmy understood this quite well, from early on and until the last moment, through and through he exemplified, and was emboldened by, that courage, that vulnerability, that peace.
Simply put, Jimmy was world-class time and time again. He was a perpetual student of thought, one with a natural curiosity, a humble heart, and a thirst for the next interesting idea. It is undoubted, then, that each of these attributes, among his many others, led to his living a genuinely meaningful life.
Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents and siblings, by his son, Bill Neill, and by his grandson, Thomas Stephens.
Jimmy is survived by his wife and soulmate, Doris Guillot Neill, by his daughter, Laura Neill Russell and her husband, Brandon, and by Doris’ sons, who Jimmy thought of dearly as his own, Gray Stephens and his wife Susan, Mike Stephens and his wife Sherry, and Curtis Stephens; and further, by his grandchildren, Reagan and Riley Russell, Samantha and Addison Neill, Anna Stephens Godfrey and her husband Steven, John Stephens and his wife Ashley, Katherine Stephens, Erin Stephens, James Michael Stephens and his wife Chelsea, Katie Stephens, and Rivers Stephens, and by his great grandchildren, Steven Thomas Godfrey and James Gray Godfrey, Deason and Bentlee Parker; and lastly (but not least), by his four-legged companions, Lizzie and Lily.
There will be a private family graveside service with Rev. John Mabray officiating. There will be a gathering for friends and family at the home of Susan and Gray Stephens at 1:00 P.M. Saturday February 10, 2018
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you remember Jimmy through your donations to the Humane Society or a charity of your choice in his name.
The family wants to acknowledge and provide their heartfelt appreciation for the efforts of Dr. Greg Green, Christie Hogard, Dr. Frank Sartor, Dr. Mike Barazza, Shannon Newton and the staff at St. Joseph Hospice and St. Francis Hospital, Rev. John Mabray, and all of our loving and loyal friends for their thoughts, prayers, and support.
Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com
Mulhearn Funeral Home
Sterlington Road
Monroe, LA