John Cornelius “Neal” Barfield III

John Cornelius “Neal” Barfield III, 42, passed away Sunday, Sept. 17. Neal was born March 31, 1975 in Shiner, Texas to John C. Barfield Jr. and Susan Dee Richards Barfield. Neal graduated from Gonzales High School with the Class of 1993. He attended San Angelo State University and graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. He was a member of Clark Baptist Church and had served on the Gonzales Come and Take It Committee and had been elected to the Gonzales Livestock Show Board.

While in college, Neal was a member of the Livestock Judging Team and traveled to the major stock shows. He was a member of the organization that sponsored the polo matches in San Angelo. While studying Neal found time to work on a horse ranch in Mertzon, Texas. He continued working at the ranch for five years after he graduated from the university. One horse he worked with and cared for qualified for the American Quarter Horse Association All American Futurity in Ruidoso, N.M. In 2003 Neal returned home to work on the family ranch. He bought some adjoining property to the ranch and used his excellent judgment in identifying quality cattle to improve the family’s cattle operation. Neal went to work for GVEC.Net. He loved working with computers, cell phones and the internet. He was devoted to the company and his work, having recently spent 80 hours working in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Neal had unfathomable energy. He was a very personable man who loved his family and especially his nieces and nephews. He loved and embraced life. His friends meant the world to him and he cherished their friendship. Many have said that Neal was the best dancer in town; he was largely known to be a perfectionist and pushed himself to do things correctly at work or play. He was a man made to ride a horse but always worked cattle at his pace much to the chagrin of his brothers, but Neal always had plenty of horse left at the end of the day. If Neal wasn’t working or out with friends and family, he could typically be found reading a book. He loved reading and could complete a novel in a day and a half. Neal was most importantly a Christian and with his whole heart believed the words Jesus spoke in John 11:25 “He that believeth in me, though he die, yet shall he live - In life everlasting.” Certainly Neal lives on, in the heaven that he believed in and in the hearts and memories of so many family and friends.

John Cornelius “Neal” Barfield III is survived by his loving family, parents, John C. Barfield Jr. and Susie Barfield, brothers and sister-in-law, Wesley C and Bridgette Barfield and Matthew Scott Barfield all of Gonzales, nieces, Jayden Barfield, Keatyn and Raegan Barfield, Zoey Dee Barfield and Avery Barfield, nephews, Tyler Cade Barfield and Branden Scott Barfield. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Wesley and Maudie Richards and John Cornelius “Neal” Barfield Sr. and Louise Barfield, dear friends, Adam Webb, Wayne Spahn and May Green.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. in the First United Methodist Church with Pastor Wesley Barfield and Rev. Stuart Dupree officiating. Interment will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers: Jason Breitschopf, Spencer Breitschopf, David Pagel, Kenny Hodges, Kit Hodges and Joe McCaskill. Honorary pallbearers: Charlie Campion, Tyler and Braden Barfield, Bill and Billy Parker, Ross Hendershot III, Mark Metzler, Dustin Moore, Todd Rougeou, Ken David DuBose, John Brown and GVEC employees. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Neal Barfield Memorial. Friends may sign the guestbook by visiting www.seydlerhillfuneralhome.com. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.