Neal Fraser Blair

View Funeral Webast Neal Fraser Blair, 90, retired accountant and lifelong resident of Columbia, died Saturday, May 13, 2023 at St. Thomas West Hospital in Nashville. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Lee Stevenson officiating. Burial will follow at Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Tuesday, May 16, 2023 from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 222 West 7th Street, Columbia, TN 38401. Online condolences may be extended at oakesandnichols.com. He was born April 2, 1933 in Columbia to the late John Malcolm “J. Mike” Blair and the late Mary Ruth Fraser Blair. As a young man he was involved with the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and worked as a paper boy for the Columbia Daily Herald, and for his father at Castner Knott and Riverside Grocery Store. He graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1951 and received his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Middle Tennessee State College, where he was enrolled in the ROTC program to help pay for his college education. He was enlisted with the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina from 1955 to 1958. He started his accounting career with Price Waterhouse in Atlanta where he worked for two years and in 1959, he started working for Dupont/Spontex and retired in 1998 after 39 years as a controller. For many years he was a part time accounting teacher at Columbia State Community College beginning in 1966 when it was founded. On December 17, 1960 he married Mary Lee Freeman Blair and together they enjoyed traveling the world, visiting museums, square dancing with the Wagon Wheelers alongside their closest of friends; Dr. Taylor and the late Connie Rayburn, Joyce and the late Jimmy Cranford. He was very involved in the community; serving many years on the Maury County Board of Public Utilities and as the Chairman in 1977, member of the Sons of the American Revolution, former longtime member of the local Columbia Lions Club where he served as President in 1972 and various other offices over the years, Treasurer for the Craig Fund for Columbia Central High School students, and former member of the Maury County Historical Society. A devoted Christian man, he was a member of The First United Methodist Church where he served as church auditor for many years and a member of the Bruce Strother Sunday School Class. Prior to his membership with First United Methodist Church, he was a member of Central Christian Church where he had served as a deacon and elder. Neal had many interests that kept him busy in his retirement; genealogy, yardwork and being a devoted husband and caregiver to the love of his life, Mary Lee. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Mary Lee Freeman Blair of Columbia; daughter and son in law, Carol Lee Blair Peterson (Todd) of Memphis; son and daughter in law, Neal Freeman Blair (Karen) of Columbia; brother and sister-in-law, Dr. John Rodney Blair (Sandra) of West Palm Beach, Florida; sister, Mary Patsy Blair Johnston of Nashville; sister in law, Roseanne “Rocky” Blair of Memphis; six grandchildren, Daniell Neal Blair (Allison), Corey Freeman Blair (Maggie), Parker Blair Peterson, Mackay McTigrit, Graham McTigrit, and Andrew Hight; two great grandchildren, Reagan Blair and Abel Hight; seven nieces and nephews, Emily Hardcastle, Will Johnston (Iris), David Johnston, Jenna Smith (Jarrett), Melanie Dodd (James), Alanna Blair, and Kit Blair; and several great nieces, great nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by a brother, Allen Nicks Blair; brother-in-law, Dr. Bill Johnston; uncles, Allen (Mildred) Fraser, Herbert (Rebecca) Fraser, Milton (Lillian) Fraser, and Leland (Georgia) Blair that was very influential in his life; aunts, Louise (Howell) Caldwell and Marie (Lillard) Garrison. Pallbearers will be Daniel Blair, Corey Blair, Parker Peterson, Mackay McTigrit, Graham McTigrit, Will Johnston, David Johnston, and Kit Blair. Honorary pallbearers will be Joyce Cranford, Dr. Jimmy Craig, Dr. Taylor Rayburn, the Bruce Strother Sunday School Class, and Central High School Class of 1951.