WorldWide Drilling Resource

In Memoriam of our dear friend, Jim Bob “Lightnin” Neely 2/6/1958 ~ 3/25/2018 How do I honor such a wonderful person as Jim Bob? Everyone who came in contact with this wonderful man could feel how special he was. Not because he bragged. Not because he felt he was better than the rest of us. But rather, because he was special, and we could just feel that. As I received that call from Lisa at the Texas Ground Water Association, and when she told me Bobette wanted me to hear it from her, but was unable to hold back her tears to place the call, I felt a deep hole grow inside me. I knew I would have to write this final trib- ute to a dear personal friend and it would be extremely difficult to put into words the feeling that comes over me when this happens. Why was “Lightnin” special? Just look at him in these photos; the one of him to the left taken in 2010 with the great group of Texans just after a very important meeting at the Annual Convention; the one of him sitting back - pretending to be asleep in what was supposed to be “my” bench that year; and finally the one of him after he said, “Come on Ronnie, this is your bench,” and asked me to come sit on it in a picture with him. I didn’t know I was bidding against the person who would be giving me that very bench! Yes, that was Jim Bob “Lightnin” Neely, a very special man. Jim Bob “Lightnin” Neely, age 60, passed away March 25th in Riviera, Texas. He was born to Robert James “R.J.” and Ruby Neely. He l ived his entire life in Riviera, and was the owner of Neely Water Well Service, Inc. He was preceded in death by his father. He is survived by his mother; his wife of 36 years, Lisa A. Neely; son Alex, and daughter Ashley; sisters Bobette (Keith) Naylor of Riviera; Bridget Wickett of Sallisaw, Oklahoma; and Roberta Neely of McAlister, Oklahoma; as well as numer- ous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Visitation was held Wednesday, March 28th at Turcotte-Piper Mortuary in Kingsville, Texas. His loving sister Bobette shared that Jim Bob would have wanted any donations to be made to the TGWA Scholarship Fund. Al l of us at Wo r l dWi de Dr i l l i ng Resource ® send our sincerest sympa- thies to Alex, Ashley, Bobette, and all of Jim Bob’s family and friends worldwide. Lest we forget... 42 JUNE 2018 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®