Leland Lloyd Neeper

Leland Lloyd Neeper died on December 4, 2021, at 93 years of age at Parkview on Hollybrook Assisted Living. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at Ford Chapel, First Baptist Church Longview, Texas, with Revs. Tim Watson and Richie Sessions officiating. He will be buried at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Longview, under the direction of Welch Funeral Home.

Leland was born September 11, 1928, in Sweetwater, Texas, the only son of Lloyd and Henri Lee Stanford Neeper, longtime residents of Sweetwater and Austin. He was a 1946 graduate of Newman High School in Sweetwater. On November 18, 1951, at the Emhouse Baptist Church, he married Ruth Ponder. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2021.

After Army military service Leland graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and for many years was associated with the Lone Star Steel Company in their engineering department. He held Professional Engineering licenses in both Texas and New Jersey. He was an avid genealogy researcher and wood worker hobbyist.

Survivors include a daughter, Mary Lee (Dr. Al Steele) of Jackson, MS and their children Laura Steele Sessions (Richie) and David Steele (Lauren); son Dr. Layne Neeper (Carol) of Morehead, KY and their children Lowell and Hannah; great-grandchildren Mary Leslie, Griffin, and Margaret Sessions and Mark and Mary Cameron Steele. Leland was preceded in death by his grandson, Mark Steele.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org ).