Jack Neil Strong

Notes:

Most of the information below was obtained on January 29, 1999 at Donald Joe Weavers ranch in St. Joe, Texas. Tape recordings were made over several hours. The quality of the tapes is poor due to background noise. Those present were Viola Strong Weaver, her son Don and his wife Pat, Barney Strong and his wife Violet, Anna L. (Rooney) Strong, Jack Neill Strong, and the compiler, Charles Strong.

Jack and his twin brother Jake were born on Christmas Day 1915, Jake dying shortly after his birth. Jack's mother, Tessie Soukup Strong died about six months later. Shortly after his mother's death, one of Walter Strong's aunts, Rosetta Neill came to visit the Strong family in Prague, Oklahoma. Jack was very ill. Rosetta and her husband, Hamilton Neill, took Jack home with them to Vinson (Harmon) County, Oklahoma to better care for him.

The Neill's farm was large and even had indoor plumbing, a rarity in rural Oklahoma in 1916. Jack went to school in Vinson, about 8 miles from the farm. In the early years, he traveled to school by horse and wagon, and later on a T-Model Ford School bus. When Jack was in either the fourth or fifth grade, he was teasing some girls and got into a fight. After the fight, they told him he didn't even have a father or mother. At the age of 10 or 11, this was a shock. As he walked up the lane to the farmhouse, his mother saw that he was crying and had been fighting. His dad asked what was wrong. Jack replied, "The kids said you weren't my Papa and Mama." They came clean and stated "We are not your Mama and Papa. You were a sick little baby, and we went and got you and we picked you out to be one of our little family." This did not help one bit. At this age, one does not understand that. Jack said "As a result of this, up to this day, it is hard for me to trust anybody!" After this, it was never the same. They treated me better than their own kids. They had two boys and two girls already gone from home. I was the only child there, and they spoiled me rotten.

When Jack was 14 or 15, the Neills told him that his father, Walter Strong, was alive. Shortly after this, Mr. Neill died, and Jack took care of his mother. He had to quit school, but went back for awhile. Mrs. Neill took Jack to see Walter and his stepmother, Stella. Perhaps this was when they were living west of Lawton, around 1931 or 1932. They visited for two or three days. Jack recalls playing with some kids. They were probably Barney, Bob, and Cecil. The day before they were to go home, they were eating and Walter asked Jack if he wanted to stay with them, or go home with Mommy Neill. Jack said "I want to go home." He thought that Walter might have been hurt by this decision. The next morning, he and his mother took the bus back to Vinson, Oklahoma. He added that "All of this was in the back of my mind, and I was very confused.

The Neill's may also have been uncertain as to their relationship with Jack. On the 1920 census, he was listed as their adopted son. In 1930, he was listed simply as a lodger.

After high school in the 1930's, Jack went to work for C.R. Anthony Company as a shoe salesman in Lawton, Oklahoma. There was a disagreement one evening after a big day's sale, to military personnel on payday, and Jack was fired. It appears he had a date. When he didn't show up for work on Monday, Mr. Anthony called him up from Oklahoma City. Jack refused to go back to Lawton, but agreed to continue working for him at the Oklahoma City store.

Soon Jack was working two jobs. His second job was with a drug store. About this time he married Bernadine and needed the money. This was in the late 1930s when times were hard. Soon, he was working at the drug store during the day, and as a bartender at the Black Hotel in the evenings. This was right before World War II. He doubled his wages.

While holding down these two jobs, Jack was drafted into the army early in World War II. While working at the bar, airmen from the Will Rogers Air Corps Base who were customers advised Jack to try to become a cook in the service. Upon induction into the army, he told them he was a cook at the Black Hotel. He was given a test about cuts of meat. Having grown up on a ranch, the test was a snap. At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he received ill-fitting clothes that afternoon, and was awakened at 4 am the next morning to scramble eggs all day in a field kitchen.

Jack was shipped to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for basic training. While at Fort Leonard Wood, he cooked but never went through basic training, except for the rifle range. Jack was shipped overseas, first to North Africa, then to Sicily. He travelled "from the toe up through the north till the war ended." After the war, Jack was discharged in Virginia Beach, VA. Upon discharge, he hired a man with a Piper Cub plan to fly him to Oklahoma for $150, half of his mustering out pay.

Back in Oklahoma, Jack worked first for a beauty and barber supply company. Next he worked for Tom's Peanut Company. After that, he took a job selling jewelry and toys to stores in southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. He also sold buttons and zippers. He worked for the Pearl Button Company of Lansing, Iowa for 32 years. Charles R. Strong and some of his brothers and sisters recall visiting Jack several times during these years. The Button Company went bankrupt, and so went Jacks retirement. Jack next started to sell flags, banners, and sales promotion material like that foung around car lots, parades, etc. The flag business was in several locations. First Austin and Seguin, Texas. Next he went to Miami, Florida. After Florida, he lived in New Orleans, Louisiana for 9 years. Later he retired to Hawaii and loved it. Since his only income was Social Security and he could not afford trips to the states to visit his children, he moved back to the states and settled in Forth Worth around 1994.

Obituary: Obituary Jack Neil Strong


Jack Neil Strong, 87, a retired salesman and entrepreneur died December 13th, 2003 in Fort Worth. Funeral: 1 p.m. Thursday, December 18th at Forest Ridge Funeral Home, Hurst, Texas. His ashes will be placed at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery following the memorial service. Memorial: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Community Hospice of Texas, 6100 Western Place, Suite 500, Fort Worth, Texas 76107. Jack was born Christmas day, 1915 in Lawton, Okla. He proudly served in the US Army during World War II. He was an outstanding salesman throughout his life and sold a variety of items including Tom's Peanuts, buttons, zippers, costume jewelry, and flags and pennants. He never met a stranger and could always make you smile or laugh. He was a lover of life and lived life to its fullest to the very end. He was loved by many and will be sorely missed. Survivors: Daughters, Jacqueline Forni Conner of Denton and Dr. Kathy Morrison Zatopek and husband, Wayne Zatopek of Hurst and Tyler; Granddaughters, Christina Dittrich and husband, Derek Dittrich of Hamilton, Tex. and Meghann Brown and husband, Ryan Brown of Killeen, Tex. Great Granddaughters Shelby and Tayler Dittrich; sister, Viola Weaver of Gainesville; brother, Barney Strong of Gainesville; half-brother, Bob Strong of Lawton, Okla.

(Research):Census Information:

1920 Census
Oklahoma, Harmon County, Francis Twp
16 January 1920
FM #105-106
Neils (sic), Hamilton Head M W 53 M Texas US US Farmer
Neils, Rosetta Wife F W 54 M Yes Texas Missouri Virginia
Neils, Clyde E Son M W 17 Ok Tx Tx Farm Laborer
Neils, Elmer H Son M w 15 Ok Tx Tx Farm Laborer
Neils, Jack Adopted Son M W 4 1/2 Ok Ok Ok

1940 Census
Oklahoma, Tillman, Frederick City
Enumerated April 18, 1940
ED 9 SD 71-6
Enumerated April 15, 1940
309-60 P 3000
Phillips, William Head M W 46 M No H-2 Tx Sameplace Mail Rural carrier USPO
Phillips, Mable Wf F W 43 M No H-3 Ohio Sameplace
Phillips, Billie C Son M W 16 S Okla Sameplace
Phillips, Doris E Dtr F W 14 S Okla Sameplace
Strong, Jack N Son-in-law M W 24 M No H-4 Okla Sameplace Shoe Salesman Shoe Store
Strong, Eugenia Dtr F W 20 M M-4 Okla Same Place
Strong, Irma G Dtr F W 1 S No O Okla

Jack married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jack married Eugenia Lou Phillips on 28 Mar 1937 in Frederick, Tillman County, Oklahoma. Eugenia was born on 12 Nov 1919 in Frederick, Tillman County, Oklahoma; died on 24 Nov 1999. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jack married Bernadine Horton before 1946. Bernadine was born on 26 Jan 1919 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; died on 10 Sep 2005 in Denton, Denton County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]