Neal Douglas Harrison

Neal Douglas Harrison was born September 12, 1964 to Carolyn Walker Harrison and Richard Harrison. Neal lived his entire life in Kaufman County graduating from Kaufman High School in 1983. He married Tina Sobaski in 1987. After graduation he was a successful jockey in Texas and Louisiana for a number of years until he began working for Trinity Valley Electric Co-Op. After leaving the Co-Op he worked for American By-Products later known as Wilbur-Ellis. After leaving Wilbur-Ellis he was self-employed involved in raising cattle, tractor work, he was heavily involved with his children’s and grandchildren’s projects and activities and worked seasonally as a plumber for the State Fair of Texas for 4 years. He really loved working with the land and livestock which kept him going the last few years. He was also an avid mud bogger, four-wheeler, drag racer and hunter and was the funniest guy you knew.

Neal was preceded in death by his father Richard, grandfather, Robbie (Curley) Walker, mother-in-law and father-in-law Esta and Kenneth Kelly, and father-in-law Stanley Sobaski brother-in-law James Bo Bailey and favorite Uncle Rudy Tallas.

He is survived by his by his loving wife of 38 years, Tina; son Thomas Harrison and wife Ashley and 3 grand-daughters Skylar, Charley and Finleigh of Kaufman; daughter Neelie Davlin and husband Cody of Kaufman; mother Carolyn Harrison of Kaufman; Sister Amy Knowles and husband Michael and nephews Daniel Gore and children Max and Micah, Tanner Martin and Hunter Knowles of Kaufman; brother Henry Harrison and wife Heather and nieces Kinleigh and Laynie of Terrell; Aunt and second mother Betty Jane Tallas and cousin Todd Tallas of Kaufman. His lifelong best friends Todd Ruff and Jeff Ford; Classmate and “good morning greeter” Joseph Johnson as well as close friends and buddies Jimmy Tallas, Barry Caldwell, John Hamilton and Dale McCarty as well as many other friends and relatives.

Neal fought a good fight for 5 years in his battle with metastatic prostate cancer. He survived radiation, chemo and was the last in his group to survived radiation therapy. He fought it every day by trying to keep going and never giving up. Our thanks go out to his oncologist Dr. Scott Seals who kept him optimistic and was tireless in looking for options to help him.

We will think about him every time we hear his wind chimes and fill-up his hummingbird feeders. He was the loving light of our family. He was the first we went to for advice or to fix something for us. He was a wonderful husband, father, “Pa”, son, brother, uncle , nephew and friend. He was loved by many and will be missed by all that knew him.