Neville Hancock

Democrat-Chief Publisher Neville Lavon (Reeder) Hancock, 91, died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones on October 20, 2020.
Neville was born on February 26, 1929 to Albert Jackson and Mollie Mae (Hatchett) Reeder on the family farm north of Cooperton.
She married Walter Joe Hancock on Sept. 1, 1950 and they were married 64 years at the time of his death in 2014. They raised three children, Mollie, Walt and Todd.
Neville loved growing up on the farm and attending school in Cooperton, but transferred to Hobart High School as a junior to take required language courses to attend college.
She graduated from Hobart High School in 1948 and attended the University of Oklahoma.
Neville fell a few hours short of graduation from OU when she joined her husband Joe, who was stationed to Germany as part of the post-war occupation force of the U.S. Army from 1952-53. She gained a valuable education and opportunity in seeing much of Europe as it appeared after World War II.
While in Germany, Neville obtained numerous antiques while "living on the economy" by trading wares with German residents. She was very fond of those antiques and many are still in excellent condition.
Neville cherished her short time in Germany and soaked up the culture, visiting not only the German countryside, but also France, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy.
Upon returning home in 1953, the Hancocks made their home in Hobart and both began working at the Democrat-Chief.
Eventually, Neville became a columnist, writing Neville's News in the D-C on a daily basis until the paper became a weekly publication in 1988.
Neville was a passionate and hard-working journalist, never afraid to tackle difficult stories, but quite adept about writing social news on the lives of Hobart residents.
Once when the Democrat-Chief was being picketed about a letter-to-the-editor that was printed, Neville joined the crowd and interviewed the protestors.
Neville was the seventh of eight children in the Reeder family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law; Ransom and Annie B. Hancock, husband Joe; three brothers, Ryvers and wife Helen, Lloyd and wife Addie, Jack Reeder, Jr. and Vivian Reeder; two sisters, Edith Lester and husband Wilson and Roma McKee and husband Hurshel; brother-in-law Bob Adams; Sister-in-law: Jennie (Beezer) Carpenter; nephews Jerry Lester and wife Carolyn, David Lester and wife Linda, Charles Hunsinger and Will Hancock; niece Bell Reeder, and great nephews Chris Shelton, Jeremy Dunn and Jacob Dunn; and great niece Malissa Dunn.
She is survived by sisters Neta Adams, Wichita, KS and Theda Deaver and husband Jim, Granbury, TX, brother-in-law Bill Hancock and wife Nicki, Prairie Village, Kansas.
Daughter Mollie Nagel and husband Britt; sons Walter Joe Hancock, Jr. and Todd Hancock and wife Waynel, all of Hobart; granddaughters Elizabeth McNutt and husband James, Lawton, Jemi Hancock of Oklahoma City and Emma Shaffer and husband Sheridan of Lewistown, Idaho; grandson Christian Hancock, currently deployed with the U.S. Army in Syria; great-granddaughter Harper Jo Barnett, Hobart; great-grandsons Berkley Stovall, Oklahoma City, Jensen Hancock, Oklahoma City; and Connor McNutt, Lawton.
Also, nephews Gail Reeder and wife Renate, Tulsa, OK; Dean Reeder of Saddle Mountain, Don Lester and wife Marilyn, Broken Bow, OK, Jack Reeder III and wife Sondra, Tulsa, OK, Ross Reeder and wife Vicki, Kingston, OK, David Reeder, South Carolina and Rodger Reeder, California, Rodney Hunsinger and wife Cheryl, Norman, OK, Layne Adams, Wichita, KS and Reeder Reese and Tammy, Gotebo, OK, Nathan and Kristen Hancock, Prairie Village, KS.
Nieces Sherri Ritchey, Edmond, OK, Rosemarie Hunsinger, Oklahoma City, Melody Adams, Tulsa, OK, Amy Adams, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Darla Dunn and husband Rick, Granbury, TX, Dana Reese, Mtn. View, OK and Dawn Law, Granbury, TX and Anne McCloskey and husband Norb.
Because of safety concerns surrounding Covid-19, there will not be a church service. A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, October 24 at Hobart Rose Cemetery.
The family requests that those who choose to attend, please practice social distancing and wear a mask.
Donations in Neville's honor may be made to the Hobart Educational Enrichment Foundation at Hobart Public Schools or the First United Methodist Church.

Under the direction of Ray & Martha's Funeral Home, Hobart, Oklahoma

Funeral: 2:30 p.m., Saturday, October 24, 2020
Hobart Rose Cemetery
Hobart, Oklahoma