Charles Richard Reece Neale

Charles Richard Reece Neale Sr. (1931-2022) Charles R.R. Neale Sr., 90, of Vienna, WV passed away Monday morning, July 11th at the Camden Clark Medical Center after a short illness. He was born on the Neale family farm along the Ohio River in Briscoe, WV on November 7th, 1931, the youngest son of the late Henry C. & Sarah E. Neale. He graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1949, and attended Marietta College. He enlisted in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Infantry Division, and proudly wore his 82nd Airborne hat until his final days on Earth. After coming home following his enlistment, he worked most days tending farmland and in the evenings worked for the Parkersburg News & Sentinel as district manager. In the 1960s, an opportunity arose to purchase the Joe S. Towing Company, a towboat business that delivered barges to various industries along the Little Kanawha River. The Neale family grew this business into present day Neale Marine Transportation in Vienna, WV, and a towboat was built and launched in his honor in 1998 named “Mister Charlie Neale”. He was an accomplished and much respected towboat captain for over 50 years, navigating over 2,000 miles of different river stretches across the U.S. One of his most memorable trips was assisting the stricken “Str. Delta Queen” in the early 1990s from Marietta, OH to Louisville, KY, in which he commanded two towboats added alongside to keep the steamboat safe and on schedule. Additionally, he captained a vessel which transported the 27 foot diameter primary mirror for the Subaru Telescope from Pittsburgh, PA to New Orleans, LA. This mirror was trans loaded onto a ship in New Orleans, and now provides images from atop the summit of Maunakea, Hawaii. He was a member of the Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen; the past president of the Huntington, WV Propeller Club; 60 year member of the Vienna Masonic Lodge, member of the Nemesis Shriners of Parkersburg, WV, and in 1972 was voted the Wood County Farm Family of The Year. He was proceeded in death by his parents and 8 siblings. He is survived by his devoted wife and companion of 67 years Dianne Neale; one son Richard Neale (Carole); one daughter Jane Alatorre (John); 3 grandchildren C.R. Neale (Ramsey), Austin Alatorre, and Emmalee Alatorre; one brother-in-law David Mendenhall (Joyce); and numerous nieces & nephews. Along with his cherished family, he adored his family farm with his large herd of cattle and his numerous cherished pets throughout the years. Funeral services will be held at 3 pm on Thursday, July 14th, 2022 at Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home, Vienna with Dr. David Carrico officiating. Burial will follow at Parkersburg Memorial Gardens with full military honors by American Legion Post 15 of Parkersburg and Masonic Rites by Vienna Lodge 172 A.F.& A.M. Visitation will be from 1-3 pm on Thursday at the funeral home.