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J.T. "Pop Neely

Tupelo - Julius Telford Neely, 80, died Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at North Mississippi Medical Center after an extended illness. A Jackson native, he was born October 28, 1925 to the late Julius Telford Neely Sr. and Bertha Hemphill Neely. He was a graduate of Mississippi State University where he earned a degree in business marketing and played football and ran track. He was a veteran having served in the United States Navy during World War II as a plank member on the USS Springfield. He worked over 35 years as a marketing supervisor with South Central Bell. He was a member of St. Luke United Methodist Church. He had been a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, a Mason, Scottish Rite, Shriner, and a member of the Eastern Star. He served as treasurer of the Tupelo Softball Association, president of the Park and Recreation Advisory Board, an at-large member of the Tupelo Sports Council, member of the Northeast Mississippi Umpire Association, and officated many high school football games. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and a member of the Tupelo Beagle Club. He is well remembered as the starter of the Gumtree 10K Run and much appreciated for the countless hours given as a volunteer at the Tupelo Park & Recreation Department.

Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at St. Luke United Methodist Church with Rev. Mike Hicks and Rev. Tom Cupit officiating. Burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Park. W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Helen Nunnery Neely of Tupelo; three daughters, Jennifer Baum and husband, Ron, of Picayune, Teresa Cupit, Rachel Miller and husband Mark all of Tupelo; one son, Lee Wayne Neely and Cathy Boudreaux of Tupelo; nine grandchildren, Clint Neely and wife, Summer, of Woodlands, TX, Kate Neely of Scooba, Amanda Broome of Long Beach, R.J. Gonzales and wife, Amanda, of Mobile, AL, Neely Cupit of Houston, TX, Ryan Cupit of Tupelo, Ted Grimes of Jackson, Kyle Miller and Jeffrey Miller, both of Tupelo;four great-granddaughters; Gracyn and Hannah Neely of Woodlands, TX, Kayla Broome of Long Beach, and Reese Gonzales of Mobile, AL; one sister, Shirley Coffey and husband, Wally, of Roanoke, VA; and one brother, Francis L. Grantham and wife, Evelyn, of Birmingham, AL.

Pallbearers will be Chip Petersen, Jim Beane, Don Lewis, Seth Gaines, David Cole, Neil McCoy, Macky Thorton, and Sammy Pullium.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. John Allen, Bob Smith, James Scott, Boyce Harris, Robert Davis, Bobby Wilson, I.B. Davis, members of the staff of Tupelo Park and Recreation Dept., members of the NE Mississippi Umpire Association and Plank Members of the USS Springfield.

Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.until service time at the church.

Memorials may be made to the J.T. Neely Scholarship Fund through the Tupelo Park and Recreation Department at PO Box 3608, Tupelo, MS 38803 or the Garner Simmons Home at 111 S. Spring St., Tupelo, MS 38804.