Rest In Peace Grandpa Neff

CHARLES ROBERT NEFF, age 82., a resident of Dallas, TX passed away of lung cancer on July 24, 2010.

He was born in Dallas on August 13, 1927, son of Robert Benton Neff and Ruby Lee Bryant Neff (both deceased). Mr. Neff graduated from North Dallas High School in January of 1944 and entered Baylor University that same year. However, his older brother, 1st Lt. Merlin Shepherd Neff, a pilot with the U.S. Air Force was killed in action when his plane and entire crew crashed while flying over the island of Formosa (now Taiwan) in April of the same year and shortly thereafter, Robert enlisted in the Navy and became a Hospital Corpsman 1st Class. He served as an ambulance driver in New Orleans, and later in the Naval Psychiatric Hospital in Ft. Worth.

Upon discharge, he returned to Baylor and married his high school sweetheart, Mary Lynne Leachman of Dallas, also a Baylor student. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1950 and accepted a position as Supervisor of the Analytical Chemistry laboratory with Phillips Petroleum (later known as “Rocke-dyne”) in McGregor, Texas where he served 17 years helping to develop the solid rocket fuel used in the Apollo Moon missions. While working in McGregor, he obtained a masters degree in Mathematics from Baylor, took several courses from various colleges in the (then) new field of computer science where he applied his mathematical skills.

Returning to Dallas in 1969 he took a position at the Associates Corporation where he was the computer software consultant and was responsible for coordinating with the Windsor UK office of the Associates, which later was purchased by Citicorp, from which he retired in 1992.

Upon retirement, he taught mathematical statistics, pharmaceutical math, and college algebra at El Centro and Richland College for a period of 12 years.

Mr. Neff grew up as a member of the First Baptist Church, Dallas, where his Dad was a Deacon. Settling in Dallas' Lake Highlands area he and his family affiliated with Northlake Baptist Church and Bob was active in the choir as long as he was able.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years; children, Richard Neff and Ronald Neff, and daughter, Katherine Neff Adams Terrell.  He was also blessed with six grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, as well as a host of friends.

Services will be held at 1:00PM, Thursday, July 29, 2010 with Rev. Danny L. Souder officiating, at Northlake Baptist Church with private burial service for family at Restland Cemetery.