Turns To Gas For Livelihood

R. H. "Bob" Neeley was just a farm boy who had practically never heard of natural gas when he went to work for the Houston Natural Gas Company in El Campo as a laborer in 1933.

With 23 years of service with the company behind him, Neeley now manages the natural gas company's office here.

Neeley was born in Conway, Arkansas, in 1904. His father, who was a farmer, died when he was three, and the family moved to the El Campo area in 1907.

Raised in a family of three brothers and one sister, the gas company manager attended school in El Campo, and "just about every country school around there."

In 1926 he married a girl from the Plainview Community near El Campo. His wife, Beaulah, is the mother of seven children, one dead.

Neeley farmed for several years, handling his own farm in 1932.

In 1933, he went to work for the gas company when the El Campo office consisted of one laborer and one manager. Neeley dug ditches and handles whatever came up.

He was making 35 cents an hour with the company when he started, which was above the average wage in those depression days. After 12 years at El Campo, Neeley went to Richmond as a service man and was transferred to Alvin as district manager after one year there.

Managing the district office in Alvin for three years, he asked for and received his transfer to Palacios as manager in 1948.

Neeley says he doesn't plan to retire until he's 65 and hasn't any special plans for an occupation upon retirement. His hobbies are floundering and wood-working. He has a well outfitted woodwork shop in his garage at his home.

Neeley's oldest daughter, Mrs. W. A. Kreuzer, lives in Houston. Mrs. Evelyn Baker, another daughter lives in El Campo and has a baby boy. His oldest son, Robert, works for Central Power and Light Company here and has two children, a boy and a girl.

Norris Neeley, the next to the oldest son, works for the Johnson Construction Company at the new Alcoa installations, and his wife, Lois, is employed by the aluminum company at Point Comfort.

Jimmy and Donald, the two youngest boys, are 10 and 12 years old and are still enrolled in Palacios schools.

Neeley has been active in the volunteer fire department for a number of years and is a past president also past secretary of the Palaces Rotary Club. He is still a member of the board of directors of the club. He is also active in the Chamber of Commerce.

Palacios Beacon, December 6, 1956
 

Robert Henry "Bob" Neeley

Funeral services for Robert Henry "Bob" Neeley were held at 2 p. m Tuesday, February 7, in the Palacios Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Carl L. W. Israel officiating. Interment was in the Lutheran Cemetery in El Campo.

Son of the late Henry and Frances Ann Tucker Neeley, he was born December 27, 1904, in Nimrod, Arkansas. A resident of Palacios since 1948, he was retired from Houston Natural Gas where he had served as district manager for 36 years. He died Sunday, February 5, in Wagner General Hospital after a lingering illness.

He is survived by his wife, Beaulah L. Neeley of Palacios; two daughters, Clara Kreuzer of Houston and Evelyn Lucille Baker of El Campo; four sons, Robert M. Neeley of Sinton, Norris Neeley of Victoria; Jimmy E. Neeley of Houston and Donald A. Neeley of Illinois; 14 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Palacios Beacon, February 8, 1978
 

Beaulah L. Neeley

Funeral services for Beulah L. Neeley, 77, of El Campo were held April 20 at 4:30 p. m. at the Wheeler Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Art Haddock officiating. Interment followed at the Lutheran Cemetery in El Campo.

Mrs. Neeley was born Jan. 18, 1908 in El Campo and died April 18, 1986 at an El Campo hospital. She was a resident of Palacios for 35 years, and had spent the last 37 years in El Campo. She was a member of the Women's Society of the Methodist Church of Palacios.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Victor E. Poulson and Bertha Carolyn Lundberg.

Survivors include two daughters, Clara Kreucer of Houston. Evelyn L. Baker of El Campo; four sons, Robert M. Neeley of Pleasanton, Norris W. Neeley of Victoria, Jimmy E. Neeley of Georgetown, and Donald A. Neeley of St. Louis, MO; four sisters, Annie Matthews of Houston, Inez Wolter of El Campo, Ruth Nordin of Victoria, and Marion Chantel of Houston; two brothers, Edgar Poulson of San Antonio and Bernest Poulson of Ganado; 14 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Pallbearers were David Neeley, Gregory Neeley, Robert Baker, Alan Barker, Randy Neeley, and Chris Roy. All other grandchildren were honorary pallbearers.

Palacios Beacon, April 24, 1986
 

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