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WEST COLUMBIA ~ The young son of Dr. and Mrs. James Neff died of a broken neck and strangulation at the Columbia Methodist Church Parsonage about noon Wednes day. Dr. Neff is minister of the First Methodist Church. The boy, Mark, five years old, apparently caught his neck in the loop of a rope swing, Chief of Police Everett Tay lor said. He reported the boy’s body was found by two girls, Er ikada Flores and Clara Besch, as they were walking by on their way back to school after lunch. Mark's neck was caught in a loop, his knees were drag ging the ground, and he was slumped over when spotted by the girls, Chief Taylor report ed. The girls, not realizing Mark was dead, took him out of the rope and carried him to the back porch of the Neff home, Chief Taylor said. They called Mark’s older brother, Mike Neff, §9, pres ently home on leave before going to Viet Nam for mili tary duty, Chief Taylor said. A physician and ambulance were summoned, and police were notified, Mrs. Ellen Vick, justice of the peace at West Columbia, was called to hold the inquest. She said the examining phy sician told her Mark’s neck was broken. Chief Taylor said the swing was made of a rope hanging from a tree limb in a side yard, fashioned with a loop at the bottom. He said youngsters put their feet into the loop to swing, “Mark must have falen into the loop, and broke his neck. He had not been at there very long,’’ Chief Taylor said. At the time the boy's body was found by the two school girls, Mark’s mother was re portedly calling him to come into the house, Chief Taylor said. The parsonage is located at 3015, 16th St. The boy’s body was taken to Baker Funeral Maine. Funeral services will be held at 10 3.m. Friday at the Columbia Moethodist Church with the Rev. LON, Snow of Nichating, assisted by members of the West Columbia Minis terial Albanar. Buriat will follow in Colum bia Cemetery with Baker Fue feral tome in charge. Pallbearers are M. MM, (Dou ley) Galloway, C. ©. Mart Se., Lee Crews, J. W. Kirksey, W. WW. Pierce Jr., and datin Gayle Jr. Survivors, in addition to his parents, are four brothers, Mike, James Jr., Steve and Jerry, of the home; grand parents, Mrs. Anna Neff of West Columbia and Mr. and Mrs. George Craft, Leesville, La.
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Freeport Brazosport Facts
Freeport, Texas, US
Thu, Apr 28, 1966
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USA 11 Feb 2026
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