Earl Neighbors

Frederic Earl Neighbors Sr., 94, of Oklahoma City died on September 2, 2021. He was born in Sparks, Oklahoma, on February 20, 1927, to Iva Mae and James Neighbors. The tenth of eleven children, Earl was born on the homestead his parents claimed in the land run. Earl was eager to work hard on his family’s land, and he drove a tractor in his early teens for the construction of the Oklahoma section of Route 66; he worked this job to help support his family. At age 17, Earl enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was initially stationed at Camp Pendleton but was soon deployed to Japan toward the end of WWII. Upon returning from the war, Marine Corporal Earl Neighbors soon started dating Lorena Lucille Muzny, a fellow resident and neighbor from Sparks, Oklahoma. Shortly thereafter, they married in Prague, Oklahoma at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church on April 4, 1948. Later that same year, he was called again for his service in the Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict. Four years later, in 1952, Earl and Lorena welcomed their first of five children. Over the next three decades, Earl was employed by Cain’s Coffee, working his way up to the title of “Plant Production Manager”. In the mid-seventies, however, he left his position at Cain’s to join his eldest two sons at Executive Coffee Service. During his time there, he helped his sons expand and grow their foothold in the coffee service industry in and around Oklahoma City and Dallas. Then, their company went nationwide with their wholesale gourmet coffee division and a new company name, Neighbors Coffee. Earl did all of this while helping his younger two sons in the Tulsa area with their coffee venture, Java Daves. Their coffee company produced nearly 70 stores, and this franchise could be found in fifteen states. Earl retired from Neighbors Coffee around 2000, and he retired from working with Java Dave’s in 2007. Upon retiring, Earl did not slow down. It was at this time that he focused his attention on multiple commercial real estate ventures in downtown Oklahoma City and his small condominium enterprise in Costa Rica. He did all of these things while simultaneously enjoying he and Lorena’s hobby of traveling the world, leaving only two continents untraveled. Earl and Lorena always managed to attend Mass during their travels, and when they were at home, they were devoted members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Despite staying busy with all of these things, Earl still managed to devote a large portion of his time, energy, and financial backing to a cause near and dear to his heart: The Oklahoma Special Olympics. Earl was a fervent supporter for nearly five decades. Earl was professionally very accomplished, however, his greatest achievement, as he would say, was his large and loving family. He is survived by his five sons, Steve & his wife Mona, Fred & his wife Bethany, David, Stanley, and Phillip. They have 13 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Earl was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lorena Lucille Neighbors, his ten siblings, John, Millard, George, Floyd, James (Raymond), Clarence (Bud), Clara, Vera Mae (Jackie), Anna Belle, and Edgar. A funeral mass will be held Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Edmond, Oklahoma. Following will be a graveside service at the Prague Catholic Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. A reception will follow at Parks Brothers Funeral Home, Prague, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Oklahoma Special Olympics, support.specialolympics.org/Oklahoma.