Tommy Neck, age 78, of Monroe; former Marksville High and LSU football player

Thomas "Tommy" Neck
MONROE - Funeral services for Thomas “Tommy” Neck, Sr. of Monroe will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 8, 2017 in the Worship Center of First West Baptist Church in West Monroe under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes of Monroe.  Dr. Mark Fenn will officiate.   Tommy’s wishes were to be buried at a later date in his hometown of Marksville.
Tommy, age 78, was born January 10, 1939 to Alma Lee and Malcolm “Mac” Neck in Marksville. Tommy played football for Marksville received a scholarship to LSU to play football for the Tigers under Coach Paul Dietzel. He became captain of the famed Chinese Bandits who won LSU’s first national championship in 1958. He also played on the LSU tennis team under Coach Robinson. After graduation, Tommy was drafted into the NFL by the Chicago Bears and was playing with the Bears when they won the world championship against the New York Giants in 1963. One of Tommy’s favorite stories was that one year prior to Super Bowl I, Coach George Halas called Tommy to the sideline, placed his hand on Tommy’s shoulder and said, “you remind me a lot of myself.” Tommy asked Coach Halas, “How” and Coach responded, “very little talent but, a lot of heart.”
After playing professional football, Tommy returned to Baton Rouge where he opened a very successful real estate business, Tommy Neck Real Estate, which included an office in Japan. He served on the East Baton Rouge City Parish Council for two terms and was appointed to the LSU Board of Supervisors by Governor Edwin Edwards and served on many city, state boards, and commissions in varying positions. Upon moving to Monroe in the early 1980s, he became one of the owners of Harrell Neck Distributing. He loved the cookie and cake business and loved to say that before he became an owner “the Harrell family used to deliver cookies on bicycles.”
Tommy was preceded in death by his parents, and his only sibling, Brent Neck.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Susan Harrell Neck; children, Brent Neck of San Diego, California, Dr. Chris (Jennifer) Neck of Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Heidi (Chris) Neck of Boston, Massachusetts, Kim (Marty) Verhagen of Monroe, Tommy (Amanda) Neck, Jr. of West Monroe and Kaki Neck (Rodney) Stoffer of Monroe; grandchildren Ryan Neck, Bryton Neck, GeGe Neck, Camden Bradley, Jaden Neck, Grayson Stoffer, A. J. Verhagen, Gage Neck, Beckham Neck; brother-in-law, John (Molly) Harrell, Sr.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Honorary pallbearers will be John M. Harrell, Sr., Johnny Robinson, Billy Cannon, Moonie Winston, Tex R. Kilpatrick, Dr. White Graves and Sam Henry.
The family request friends and family to make donations in Tommy’s memory to St. Vincent de Paul or the Cancer Foundation League.