Thomas Holleran Neale

Thomas H. Neale was a native of Auburn, NY. He attended the public schools of Solvay, NY, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. He pursued additional studies at Syracuse University and the Université de Dijon.

Over 53 years until his death, Mr. Neale worked in the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress, rising to become a Specialist in American National Government. In serving congressional committees, members of Congress, and congressional staff, Mr. Neale provided expertise, analysis, consultation, and information on American constitutional theory and history; American political history; U.S. elections, with a concentration on the presidency and the Electoral College; and presidential and vice presidential qualifications for office, terms, tenure, succession, and disability. Mr. Neale testified on these issues before committees of the House of Representatives and Senate. His contributions to the Library of Congress included CRS at 100: A Centennial History of the Congressional Research Service.

Mr. Neale's external writings included contributions to Wilson Quarterly, The Encyclopedia of the United States Congress, and The Encyclopedia of the United States in the 19th Century. He lectured on the U.S. election process at Meridian International, the Organization of American States, and the House of Representatives’ Parliamentary Development Task Force and its House Democracy Partnership. For the U.S. State Department, he lectured at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, the U.S. Embassy in Austria and several Austrian universities, and the Egyptian Parliament and the American University in Cairo. He also served as a panelist for the Voice of America radio international service.

In Washington, DC, Mr. Neale was active in organizations such as the Association of Oldest Inhabitants, where he served as president and a board member, and the Downtown Serra Club. In the Syracuse, NY, area, Mr. Neale maintained current knowledge and many friends and supported local cultural and historical entities.

Mr. Neale was preceded in death by his father Harry Neale, mother Mary (Holleran) Neale, and brother Harry Neale Jr. He is survived by his brother Richard and sister-in-law Sandy Neale and his nephews Richard Jr. and Brian Neale. Visitation Jan. 30, 9-10:30 am at Annunciation Roman Catholic Church, 3810 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The funeral Mass follows at 10:30 am at Annunciation. Burial will occur at a later date. Funeral services are provided by DeVol Funeral Home, Washington, DC.