James Willie Neal, Jr. was born on May 6, 1963, to Betty E. Neal and Willie James Neal, Sr. in Rock Hill, SC. He departed this life on July 26, 2026, in Charlotte, NC, surrounded by his family.

James attended Rock Hill Public Schools, graduating from Rock Hill High School in 1981. While attending high school, he worked several part-time jobs, including working as a butcher at Winn-Dixie Supermarket. He also served in the ROTC program, which marked the beginning of his career in the armed services. After graduating, he joined the United States Navy, where he traveled to Greenland and Iceland, and lived in both Japan and Hawaii. He served for 20 years before retiring in 2001 from the Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia.

James met and married Tammy McConnell in 1986. From this union, James and Tammy had three children: Anthony, Latasha, and Terrell. He had two grandchildren whom he loved dearly and who were the light of his life: Aaliyah and Nasir. James grew up in Rock Hill, where he lived with his paternal grandparents, Rosa Neal Brown and John T. Brown. He also spent a lot of time with his paternal great-grandmother, Ella Neal, affectionately known as “Big Ma,” whom he loved dearly. He attended Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, where he sang in the choir.

Anyone who knew James knew a few undeniable things about him: he loved his family, he loved serving in the Navy, and he loved to talk junk to anyone, anywhere, about anything. He was also a passionate fan of the Dallas Cowboys and loved cooking, fishing, and playing poker.

He was predeceased by his mother, Betty Neal; his father, Willie James Neal, Sr.; his eldest son, James Anthony Neal; his grandmothers, Alberta Hunt and Rosa Neal Brown; his grandfather, John T. Brown; his great-grandmother, Ella “Big Ma” Neal; and his uncles, Steven Brown and John “Junior” Brown.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 40 years, Tammy Neal of Virginia Beach, VA; his daughter, Latasha Jones, and son, Terrell Neal, both of Virginia Beach, VA; two grandchildren, Aaliyah and Nasir; his sisters, Lora Siders of Dover, NJ, Susan Brooks Foster (Nick) of Spartanburg, SC, and Pamela Neal-Gray of Wharton, NJ; his aunts and uncles, Joe Brown, Keianna Brown, Jamie Brown and Christopher Brown; as well as Reverend Clark Brown, Delores Moore, Gary Brown, and Doris Givens, all of South Carolina. He also leaves behind a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.