James Earl Neal

James Earl Neal, known lovingly by his friends and family as “Sonny”, passed away peacefully on September 26, 2020, at the Denver Hospice Inpatient Care Center. 

James was born on January 1, 1957, to Fred and Patsy Neal in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

Sonny graduated from Thornridge High School in 1975. During high school, he worked for Neal Janitorial Service doing landscaping and cleaning for several buildings. 

Sonny was extremely smart; he could learn a trade just by watching a trained professional. This is how he learned to become an X-ray Technician at Ingalls Hospital and how he quickly learned to retrieve silver from film for Eastman Kodak. Sonny also had a few jobs as a painter. 

He married Susan Wilcox in 1980 and one year later they separated. 

In 1986, he moved to Colorado with his brother, Jimmie.  There, Sonny had a successful career as a design glass cutter. 

He enjoyed playing basketball and shooting pool. He also knew how to sew and cook. 

He is survived by his brothers: Jimmie (Karen), John, Fred (Teresa), and his sister: Vickie (Reginald); three children: Corrinn, Jerrica (Robert), and Gloria; five grandchildren: Caprice, DaKaiia, Justice, Ja'Laya, and J'ayde; three nephews: Jimmie, Tommie, and Erick; three nieces: Nicole, Keyolanda, and Shanita (Nicholas); three grand nephews: Derek, Kielyn, and Kaiden; grand niece: Dominique; and great grandnephew: Jeremiah. 

We would like to give a special thank you, to his neighbors that treated him like family, helping him get to and from doctors' appointments and run errands, the caregivers at Denver Hospice Inpatient Care Center, and the staff at Innovage. They treated him very well. 

An aerial scattering of his ashes will be held on November 7, 2020 at Red Rocks Amphitheater at 10 AM.