Melvin H. Neighbors (Hank) Major U.S. Army (Ret.)
Hank passed away December
8, 2012 at the age of 91. He was born to Melvin Elmer Neighbors and
Della Buttrey Neighbors on November 11, 1921 in Leachville, Arkansas.
After high school, Hank enlisted in the Army and became a part of the
82nd Airborne Division in the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. On
June 6, 1944 Hank parachuted into Normandy near Ste. Mere Eglise. Wounded
July 4, 1944, he was evacuated to England for hospitalization. Later
he fought in the Ardennes Campaign and the Rhineland Campaign. Remaining
in the Army following WWII, he fought up the Korean peninsula to the Chosin Reservoir with the 7th Infantry Division's 31st Infantry Regiment.
Peacetime service after the Korean Conflict eventually brought Hank
and his family to Ft. Lewis, where he retired in 1962. He then worked
at the American Lake Veterans Hospital for several years.
He was preceded
in death by his wife of 63 years, Pat Webb Neighbors. In 2004, Hank
married Edna Fountain. They had nine wonderful years together as Edna
dedicated herself to his care and happiness. Hank was a loving, compassionate,
generous Christian; a true gentleman. He will be dearly missed and cherished
by his very large family.
He is survived by his wife Edna, and children
Melvin N. Neighbors (Patty), David Neighbors (Kerry), Nancy Neighbors,
and Dennis Fountain (Judy). Hank had 14 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren,
and 3 great-great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Friday,
December 14, 2012, 11:00 AM, at Lakewood Baptist Temple, 10710 Military
Rd. SW. Interment will be 3:00 PM at Tahoma National Cemetery near Kent,
WA. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Grace Baptist Church
Building Fund, P.O. Box 563, Dupont, WA 98327. Arrangements by Mountain
View Funeral Home.
[Published in News Tribune (Tacoma) on Dec. 12, 2012]
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(courtesy of Donald Miller)
(Courtesy of "Cemetery Wanderer")
SSgt Neighbors was a
member of Hq 2nd when he parachuted into Normandy.
He was awarded the
Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Service Arrowhead device for
his participation in the Normandy assault.
Wounded on 4 July
1944, he was evacuated. He returned to duty on 8 November
1944.
Following WWII he was
commissioned and retired as a Major. |