Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

James Neal

James A. (Jim) Neal of Little Rock died Wednesday, September 7.

The son of the late Archie C. Neal and Alice Martin Neal, he was born on August 21, 1938, in Gurdon, Arkansas. He received his early schooling there, graduating from Gurdon High School in 1956.

Neal attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for one year. He transferred to Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, where he was a member of the Universitys football team. He graduated from Henderson and entered the United States Army as a commissioned officer. He attended the U.S. Army Language School in The Presidio of Monterey, California, specializing in the Russian language. He served as an Army Ranger and as an infantry officer in Berlin and in Korea.

He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville. After moving to Little Rock, Neal served several years in the Arkansas Attorney Generals Office. He served as Chief Deputy and as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Sixth Judicial District, representing Pulaski and Perry Counties, through several terms.

He also served for many years as the Executive Director of the Committee on Professional Conduct for the Arkansas Supreme Court. He ended his legal career as a part time prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District. Neal had been retired for two years.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jamie Lou Neal, son Stan Neal and his wife Melissa, and son Martin Neal, all of Little Rock, two brothers, Charles Neal and wife Lucy, and Bob Neal and wife Nancy, as well as many other family and friends.

A visitation for family and friends was held at Griffin Leggett Healey and Roth Funeral Home, 5800 West 12th Street from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, September 9. Graveside service was at 11 a.m., Saturday, September 10, 2005, at Greenwood Cemetery in Rison, Arkansas with Rev. Greg Thompson and Paul Martin officiating.

The family requests that memorials be made to MEMS (Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services) Employee Emergency Fund, 1101 West 8th Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.

Please sign the on-line guest book at www.buiefuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements are under direction of Buie Funeral Home of Rison. (870) 325-6216.