SALTILLO – Hoyle Dewitt Neaves, 90, died Saturday, March 15, 2014, at home in Saltillo after a long illness. He was born June 15, 1923, in Saltillo to Albert and Hettie Brock Neaves.

He married Lois Wigginton on March 22, 1942. He and his wife of 70 years were partners in life and in work. They owned and operated Neaves Grocery and the True Value Hardware Store, as well as other enterprises over the years, in Saltillo.

He was a proud Army veteran of World War II, serving in the South Pacific, not assigned to the Army, but to the Navy on the hospital ship USS Hope. He was honorably discharged from the Army in November 1945 after serving two years, eight months and three days. For his military service, he received the Philippines Liberation Ribbon, two Bronze Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and the American Campaign Medal.

He was a faithful member of the Church of Christ, attending the Northeast Church in Tupelo until his health no longer permitted him to do so.

Survivors include his daughter, Donna Hambrick (Judd); granddaughter, Paige Kelly (Tim); two great-granddaughters, Mary Clair and Mignon "Mimi" Kelly, and one grandson, Leighton Brock Kelly; two brothers, Clyde and Billy Joe Neaves; two sisters, Mary Clark and Shirley Webb (Fred); sisters-in-law, Lucille Bradley and Lola Davidson; two brothers-in-law who were also his good friends, Billy Wigginton (Dale) and Jimmy Wigginton (Mary Jane); and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; one infant brother, Lawrence; two brothers-in-law, Lloyd and Johnny Wigginton; and a sister-in-law, Judy Tutor.

The Military Honor Guard will be the pallbearers at his services.

Honorary pallbearers will be Lonnie Nieces, Terry Wigginton, Randy Wigginton, Tim Wigginton, Kevin Tutor, Terry Watson and David Baker.

The family would like to thank Advantage Hospice for their loving and tender care during the last years of Hoyle's life: Charlotte Yielding, Gloria Gardner, all the other numerous aides and nurses who were so attentive to his needs for so long, and a special thanks to his final physician, Dr. Julian Loden. There are no words to express the family's appreciation for the untiring and unceasing work that Advantage Hospice did to make Hoyle's last days as comfortable as possible.