Robert Lester Neighbors

1942 - 2019

Robert Lester Neighbors, age 76, died April 6, 2019. He was born in Little Rock on December 1, 1942, to Lester A. Neighbors and Christine Bush Neighbors, both of whom predeceased him.

He grew up in North Little Rock and graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1960. He attended the University of Arkansas, where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and served as chapter president. He graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law, Little Rock Division, in 1969 and was admitted to the bar in that year.

His first year after graduation from law school he was the law clerk for Pulaski Circuit Court judges Warren E. Wood and Tom F. Digby. He entered private law practice until being appointed Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas in 1976. He held that post until becoming an Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration in 1991, where he remained until he retired on December 31, 2010. He was a member of the American Bar Association.

He was raised in the First Baptist Church of North Little Rock. He was a long-time member of Park Hill Baptist Church and at the time of his death was a member of Woodland Heights Baptist Church in Conway.

He had been a long-time member of the old North Hills Country Club in Sherwood. Bob played golf for fifty years but stopped when he could no longer deal with the frustration. He did, however, have many good times on the golf course, having made a number of friends and acquaintances through the game. He was privileged to have played a number of the world's greatest golf courses, including seven U.S. Open courses and three British Open Championship courses. He was fortunate to have played several of them, including Pebble Beach, Winged Foot, and the Old Course at St. Andrews, with his son Robert. He made one hole-in-one and saw Robert make one. It was a thrill for him to have played in ten ASGA Father & Son Championships with Robert.

He is survived by the love of his life, his wife Nancy Chapman Neighbors, daughter Susan Fountain of Maumelle, son Robert Neighbors, Jr., (Becky) of Little Rock; stepdaughter Wendy Nelson (Tom) of Conway; and grandchildren Marcy Nelson, Jack Nelson, Brogan Fountain, and Luke Neighbors.

Visitation will be held at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home on Tuesday, April 9, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The graveside service will be private.

If you wish to make a contribution in Bob's memory, he suggested that you consider Arkansas Baptist Children's Homes, 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204. He and Nancy supported this ministry in a small way but consistently since 1980.

Guestbook at www.SmithFamilyCares.com.