Jacob Ernest "Jake" Neves

Amemorial service for JACOB ERNEST "JAKE" NEVES of Houston will be held Thursday, September 17, at 3:00 pm at Cashner Funeral Home in Conroe. Jake died Saturday, September 12, 2009 at his father's home in Montgomery after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 28. Jake is survived by his father, Jesse Ernest Neves, Jr., of Montgomery, his mother and stepfather, Vikki and Eddie Yost of Houston, his sister, Emily Neves, of Houston, brothers Matthew Yost, of Houston, Christian, Kyle, and Michael Neves of Montgomery, and his stepmother-to-be, Suzanne Buck of Montgomery. He also leaves behind grandparents Paul and Shirley LeBlanc of League City, and Ed and Betty Daniel of Montgomery; aunts Alicia Clark of Houston, Michelle Brekelbaum of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amy Neves of Houston, Anna Campbell of Tomball, and uncles Sam Neves of Houston, Mike Neves of The Woodlands and Roy Neves of Spring. By marriage, Jake had aunts Brenna Neves, Lona Neves and Ardia Neves, and uncles Rusty Campbell, Chad Brekelbaum and Will Clark. When he finally relinquished his grip on life to the illness, Jake was surrounded by his family and close friends. His family is especially thankful for the love and support of Erin Workman and Brandon Hansen, and his sister Emily's fiancé, Andrew Love. They are also profoundly grateful for the support of so many friends who visited, and who brought food and comfort during Jake's illness. Jake packed a lot of life into his 28 years. He was born June 26, 1981 in Conroe. As a child, Jake lived with his parents all over the world. His dad's job with Shell Oil allowed the family to live in Cameroon, Portugal, Tunisia, and Brazil. He was named in honor of his paternal grandfather, Jesse Ernest "Jake" Neves, Sr. Though the elder Jake Neves did not live to know his first grandson, the younger Jake inherited his grandfather's free spirit and love of life. This spirit is embodied in a favorite quote of Jake's, "Le temps n'existe pas tu verras: c'est un présent perpétuel," which translates, "Time does not exist, you'll see. It is one perpetual present." After graduating from Taylor High School in Katy in 1999, Jake attended the University of Texas at Austin. At the time of his illness, Jake was enrolled at Houston Community College. Fluent in several languages, he was preparing for a career in international business. Jake loved art and had a keen interest in flying and aeronautics. He was in endless pursuit of knowledge and he was especially interested in the cultures of the world. The expatriate life of Jake's childhood instilled a passion for travel in him as an adult. While working his way through college, he made time to pursue his interest in seeing and experiencing the world. He has toured most of Europe and was planning to travel to Chile and Argentina. In June, 2008, Jake was selected as a student ambassador representing Houston Community College at an international symposium on global issues in Austria. The Salzburg Global Seminar exposed Jake to some of the greatest minds in the fields of anthropology, economics and political science. At the time, he said that it "opened the floodgates for personal reflection about what it means to be here discussing global issues and global citizenship." The Salzburg Global Seminar has included the names of many world leaders in its 61-year history and Jake said he was "so much more than proud to be able to take my place among them, and to sit with my fellow participants in a place where leaders are groomed." He told his family that the experience re-ignited his "passions for the world around me, and what I can do to change it for the better." While in Austria, he took the opportunity to explore that country and several neighboring regions, including Budapest, and the concentration camp at Dachau. Above all, Jake was a brilliant, funny, socially aware, and loving man. For the way he lived, and for the courage he maintained until his last breath, Jake is a hero to all who know and love him. His family and friends take comfort in the knowledge that he lives on in the hearts of so many that were touched by his life. In lieu of flowers, please consider a cash donation to: Sarcoma Foundation of America,Inc. PO Box 458 Damascus, MD 20872 www.curesarcoma.org In honor of Jacob E. Neves