James Lester Neeland

James Lester Neeland, 80, passed away Jan., 30, 2025. He was born July 30, 1944, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Lester and Theda Neeland. He was raised in Kingfisher, Okla., and graduated from Big Four High School. He served in the National Guard before graduating from Central State College in Edmond, Okla. He married Linda VanHorn and they had two daughters: Lisa and Jennifer. In 1993, he married Jo L. Mabry in Hugo, Okla. This marriage blessed him with a bonus daughter, Donna. He has five grandchildren: Allison, Rachel, James, Matthew and AJ and one great-grandchild, Charlotte.

He had a Bachelor’s degree in education, but worked for Gold Spot Dairy before getting a job with the Social Security Administration beginning in 1973 in Philadelphia, Pa. His job took him to El Dorado, Ark., then Pampa, Texas, and then back home to Oklahoma where he lived in Kingfisher until 1989. He moved to Hugo in 1992 and retired from SSA in Paris, Texas, in January 2009. He served as a minister for the First Christian Church in Hugo, and also the Presbyterian Church in Clarksville, Texas, before moving back to Oklahoma. He loved to travel. He had travelled to England, Israel, Europe, Australia and most recently to Hawaii. What he loved most of all was his Lord, Jesus. He is preceded in death by his wife, Jo Neeland; parents: Lester Neeland and Theda Neeland Means and his sisters and brothers- in-law: Ann and Floyd Townsend and Jean and Bill Townsend. He is survived by his children: Lisa Weir, Jennifer Neeland and Donna and her spouse, Todd Miller; his grandchildren/great-grandchild, his sister, Wanda Brown and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 at Sanders Funeral Service Chapel in Kingfisher, followed by burial at Kingfisher Cemetery.

Services are under the direction of Sanders Funeral Service.

Paid Announcement