NEAL WILLIAM SCHEITEL

Neal William Scheitel, of Aubrey, TX, died Monday, Aug. 4, 2014 at Denton, TX. He was born Jan. 17, 1929, at Falls City, the son of Homer and Esther (Bissegger) Scheitel, of Falls City.

He spent his childhood on the family farm with his favorite dog “Shep,” attended grade school at the Sunny Hill (“Pig Hill”) School, and graduated from the Falls City High School in 1946. He was active in the 4-H Club, the Evangelical Church youth group and bought his first car, a 1937 Chevy Coupe.

After graduation the family moved to Lincoln, where he attended the Lincoln School of Commerce. He graduated from a course in Advanced Accounting, and went to work in the Accounting Department at the American Bus Lines in Lincoln. While working there, he met his future wife, Audrey Weiler, of Lincoln, at the Cornhusker Coffee Shop, and they went on their first date in November 1949.

Neal was a Korean war-era Veteran. On Dec. 13, 1950, he was inducted into the U.S. Army at Ft. Leavenworth, KS, and attended Basic Training at Camp Carson, CO. On July 2, 1951, Neal was sent to Yuma, AZ, where he was a finance clerk and a construction rigger in the 412th Engineering Construction Battalion. He helped build roads and hangers for the Yuma Test Station, with the U.S. Army, 412th Army Construction Engineers.

Neal married Audrey Weiler on Dec. 22, 1951 at the Saint Mary’s Cathedral in n Lincoln, with a breakfast before, and a reception afterward. At 5 p.m., they drove to Omaha and stayed at the Blackstone Hotel, which was “the place to stay.” They drove back to Lincoln to have Christmas with their families. When they left for Yuma, Neal was driving his 1949 Ford.They picked up some of Neal’s army buddies in Kansas on their way through heading to Albuquerque, where they celebrated New Year’s.

In July 1952, they went to Camp Roberts, in Paso Robles, CA, again with the 412th, which was a reserve unit activated out of Arizona. Neal’s unit was attached from Nebraska, along with units from Michigan, Kansas, South Dakota, and Texas.He was discharged as a Corporal in 1957.

In early December 1952, Neal put Audrey on a train out of San Francisco to Lincoln. She was pregnant with their first child. On Dec. 16, 1952, Neal was released from active duty, and transferred to the Army Reserves. He drove home to Lincoln, dropping off his Army buddies in Kansas on the way, then returned to work at American Bus Lines. His first two daughters were born while they were living in Lincoln.

In 1955, Neal moved with the family to Dallas, when American Bus Lines merged with Continental Trailways. He made their home in Dallas, where their third daughter was born. In 1966, he went to work for Western Sales Limited, and moved with the family to the company office in Geneva, Switzerland. Western sales later became the Overseas Inns, Inc.

In 1971, they moved again, this time to the country of Luxembourg, when Overseas Inns changed locations. The company operated hotel properties in Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Spain, and built Continental Trailways buses in Belgium, to be shipped to the U.S.

While in Luxembourg, Neal was an avid supporter of the U.S. Marine Guard Detachment at the American Embassy. He also formed a social group fondly referred to as the “Luxembourg Cowboys.” He later named his ranch in Texas the “LC Ranch” in honor of the group, many of whom would travel to Texas to visit them there.

Neal retired as the President and CEO of Overseas Inns, and split time between their home in Luxembourg, and a place in Bozeman, MT. In 1987 they moved to a ranch in Aubrey. He was an avid golfer, and stayed active raising longhorn cattle, developing real estate in the local area, and traveling to visit with family.

Neal was a 64-year member of the Lancaster Masons Lodge 54, and a Master Mason. He was also a member of American Legion Post 71 in Denton. He was a founding member and Lifetime Member of the Aubrey Chamber of Commerce, and a founding member of the Aubrey Education Foundation. He was the 2005 Citizen of the Year for the Aubrey Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church in Denton.

Neal was preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Esther Scheitel.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey (Weiler) Scheitel; sister, Delores (Scheitel) Els (Jack); daughters, Nancy (Scheitel) Moore (Steve), Connie (Scheitel) Pelphrey, Kerry (Scheitel) Johnson (Andrew W.); grandchildren, Tara (Vandiver) Robertson (Mark), Sean Pelphrey, Vanessa (Vandiver) Ansbach (Michael), Jessica Pelphrey, Andrew N. Johnson (Lauren); great-grandchildren, Andrew Robertson, Josephine Robertson, Andrew G. Johnson, Cittadini Ansbach, Vincenzo Ansbach and Liam Johnson

Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 at DeBerry Funeral Directors in Denton. The Funeral Mass will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, 2014 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with Fr. Tim Thompson officiating.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Aubrey (TX) Education Foundation, or the Lewisville (TX) Education Foundation.