James Nealy

Photograph obtained from Branford/Dawson Funeral Home & Florist.

A family photo of James Edward Nealy shows a young man in an army service cap and a crisp suit. He gazes calmly ahead, American flag behind him. James was born on March 4, 1952 in Taylor, Texas. In addition to serving in the U.S. Army, he worked as an auto body mechanic. 

With eight brothers and ten sisters, James belonged to a large family, and he lived to build a family of his own. He had four daughters, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. 

At the time of his death, James was incarcerated in Huntsville, Texas. Despite the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the particular vulnerability of people living in prisons and jails, James was not tested for the coronavirus. Only after he was found unresponsive in his cell on April 15, 2020 was COVID-19 confirmed as the cause of his death. He was 68. 

This memorial was written by MOL team member Abby Steckel with information from reporting by Zak Wellerman of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Joseph Brown of The Huntsville Item, and an obituary from Branford/Dawson Funeral Home.