John Hatfield Neely, 98, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away Thursday, April 15, 2021, of natural causes. He was born on a Monday in Cairo, West Virginia to Abe and Pearl Neely on February 19, 1923. He was their first born and coincidentally, he arrived on his Mother's birthday. Life was not easy in West Virginia in the early to mid-1920's and John's parents decided to drive West to Oklahoma looking for a new life when he was only two years old. A young John, his parents, his grandfather, and the family dog piled into the family's open wheel car and drove to Oklahoma. John's uncle, Earl Hatfield, had moved to Cleveland a few years earlier and found work in the oil field industry. The open road and Oklahoma beckoned to the Neely family; Oklahoma held a promise that they found enticing.

The family settled in Cleveland, Oklahoma where John attended public schools and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1941. His first job out of high school was with Continental Aerospace located in San Diego, California where he spent two years making aircraft parts. By the early 1940's, World War II was in full swing and John enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1943. They sent him to the University of Cincinnati for two years and then he was stationed in San Antonio, Texas where he was in training as a pilot to fly B25's.

While in San Antonio, he was introduced to Joanna Rhea Huey in 1944 by a good friend who thought they were perfect for each other. They fell in love and were inseparable. John and Joanna were married on January 6, 1946 in San Antonio, Texas. Immediately afterward, they moved to Cleveland, Oklahoma to be close to family. John and Joanna welcomed their first son, John Huey, in December 1946. They added to their family again in March 1949 when David Vincent was born.

Upon returning to Cleveland, Oklahoma, John went to work at the Cleveland National Bank. They eventually moved to the Tulsa area where John worked for Farmers and Merchants Bank in Tulsa. He was loyal to Farmers and Merchants Bank for the remainder of his banking career until his retirement in 1985 at the age of 64. This gave he and Joanna many years of enjoyment in traveling and spending extended time in Florida. They both enjoyed playing golf while they traveled and John even hit a hole in one at the 17th hole at Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma while golfing with his oldest son. He was also fortunate to attend the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia several times through the years. He and Joanna also enjoyed spending time with family, and especially their grandchildren, in the later years of their lives.

He is survived by his wife of 75 years, Joanna Huey Neely, of Tulsa, OK (originally from Belton, Texas); two sons, John Huey Neely and his wife, Joyce, of Edmond, OK and David Vincent Neely and his wife, Kathy, of Bixby, OK; one brother, Jim Neely of Tulsa; his sister-in-law, Jonnie Neely of Claremore, OK. He is also survived by six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents Abe and Pearl Neely; his brother, Paul Edmond Neely; his sister, Barbara Neely Randall; his brother-in-law, Arthur Randall and his sister-in-law, Evelyn Mashunkashey Neely.

Visitation will be held Monday, April 19, 2021, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at Moore Southlawn, Tulsa. Service will be held Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 2:00pm at Moore Southlawn Chapel. Moore Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com