Leedell Wallace Neyland

If anyone ever was a talker that would have been Leedell W. Neyland. He loved talking to people, giving his opinions and exchanging ideas. He was also a great listener. He was an educator, an advisor and a mentor as well as a loving husband, a dedicated, available, and extremely loving father, grandfather and father-in- law.

He was the third son of Sam and Estella (McGehee) Neyland born on August 4, 1921, in Gloster, Mississippi, and received his early education there. Both his parents had received limited education and pushed their children all into higher education. For a period of six years, he served as a messman/steward in the United States Navy. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946. He received the A Chevalier (Knight) of the National Order of the Legion of Honor, on March 2, 2015.

Leedell Wallace Neyland, professor of History Emeritus and former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Florida A&M University. He received his A.B degree from Virginia State University in 1949, and his M.A, and PhD degrees from New York University in 1950 and 1959 respectively, the latter while studying under a Danforth Teachers Grant. His doctoral major was in Recent American History, with minor concentration in Sociology and Modern European History. Formerly an associate professor at Grambling University in Louisiana, he has also served as dean of the college at Leland College in Baker, Louisiana and Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina. He has contributed to the Florida Historical Quarterly, Negro History Bulletin, Social Education, Journal Of Higher Education among Negroes, Social Studies, Vital SPeeches, and other Professional and scholarly journals. Also, he has authored or co-authored eleven books: The History of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Twelve Black Floridians, The History of the Florida State Teachers Association, The History of the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University: a centennial History--1887-1987; and Historically Black Land Grant Institutions and Development of Agricultural and Home economics, 1890-1990.

He was widely sought by educational, civic and religious groups as a speaker, lecturer and consultant. He has appeared and rendered specialized services at such institutions of higher education as the University of Minnesota, University of Mississippi, University of Miami, University of Florida, Southern University, Albany State University, Stetson University, University of Georgia and others. He was a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and was active with professional, civic, and religious organizations on a local, state, and national level. He was the author of one novel entitled Unquenchable Black Fires.

Leedell was married to Della L. (Adams) from October 9 1943 for 66 years. Della, a native of North Carolina who was raised in Portsmouth Virginia, earned her B.S. degree from Grambling State University in elementary education and M.A degree from Indiana University in Guidance and Counseling. She was a Kindergarten teacher and associate professor of early childhood education at the FAMU Developmental Research School until her retirement in 1987. Leedell and Della had three children: Beverly Ann, Keith Wallace, and Katrina Denise.

Beverly Ann Neyland is now a professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine. She served the Las Vegas Community for 22 years as a pediatrician in private practice prior to joining the faculty of the Nevada School of Medicine Reno. In Las Vegas, she has served as the Chief of Pediatrics at Sunrise Hospital and Children's Hospital and as Chief of Pediatrics at UMC, as president of the Nevada Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics; on several boards and commissions and the admission committee for University of Nevada School of Medicine.

Keith Wallace Neyland, the only son, earned the B.A. in History. He went on to the University of Pittsburgh Law School, earning his Juris Doctor in 1975. Keith spent 20 years serving as a Labor arbitrator on the Board of Arbitration for US Steel and the United SteelWorkers. Keith retired in 2014 as a beloved law professor at Florida A & M University College of Law in Orlando, Florida and was voted Best Law Professor by his students. Keith was a devoted father and loving father to his only daughter Lindsey Wallace Neyland. He was married to Marion West Neyland for five years, and they enjoyed a wonderful life together. She will miss him very much.

Katrina Denis Neyland Brown retired as a counselor and academic advisor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Florida A&M University. Although cerebral palsy has severely restricted her locomotion and causes her to use a wheelchair, she has not let this handicap her spirit and accomplishments. She earned the B.S. degree in Psychology and a M.A in guidance and counseling. In 1995, she won the distinction of being selected by her students and peers as Faculty of the Year in the College of Pharmacy.

Leedell leaves to cherish his memory his beloved daughters Beverly A. Neyland and Katrina D. Brown; his one granddaughter Lindsey W. Neyland; his daughter in-law; a special nephew Charles L. Williams of Dallas, Texas; nieces Josetta Jackson, Joanna Boss, Theodora Neyland Shelley, Victoria Helen Washington, Selestine Hardy, Clementine Miller, Julie Borselli, Arvinola Scott, Deborah Scott Robinson, and numerous number of cousins and family friends.