J. W. Neal was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1928. He moved with his parents to New Mexico in 1931. He was raised in Carlsbad, New Mexico. He graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1949 and then attended the University of Oklahoma Law School receiving his law degree in 1953. J. W. passed the New Mexico State Bar Exam in 1953 and began practicing law with his uncle, C. Melvin Neal, in Hobbs, New Mexico until his full retirement in 2004. He was born into a family of prominent lawyers who practiced law in South Eastern New Mexico starting in 1925. The family of lawyers ranged from State senators, judges of the Supreme Court of New Mexico, Court of Appeals and District Judges.
In 2000 the State Bar honored J. W. Neal with a Century of Achievement Award. This award recognizes attorneys and judges who have made exemplary and substantial contributions to the practice of law in New Mexico in the Twentieth Century publicly acknowledging service, dedication and contributions to the legal profession. J. W. Neal's award was for the 1970's. J. W. Neal was made a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the Roehl Circle of Honor.
J. W. is survived by his wife, Temple, four children; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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Featured National Park champion connections: J W is 18 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 25 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 20 degrees from George Catlin, 18 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 24 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 19 degrees from George Grinnell, 29 degrees from Anton Kröller, 19 degrees from Stephen Mather, 24 degrees from Kara McKean, 18 degrees from John Muir, 21 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 26 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.