Mangold, Neal
MANGOLD, Neal Richard
August 7, 1939 - March 16, 2021. Neal Mangold was born in Chester, IL to Anna Ruth and Harry Mangold in 1939. A natural athlete, Neal's gridiron grit helped him fit into his new home in the deep South when his family moved to Columbus, GA in 1956. His talent as a tight-end for Columbus High led to football scholarship offers from UGA and UF, which he turned down along with an appointment to West Point. Neal hung up his cleats and headed to Tulane University where he was the yearbook editor in 1959, was named to "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities", and made lifelong friends in Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Years later they would gather annually to play golf and reminisce at the 19th hole. After ROTC training and earning a BBA, Neal served as a US Navy Supply Corps Officer until joining Oxford Industries where he worked for 33 years. He married the lovely Martha Martin in 1965 and together they raised four daughters in Atlanta. He retired from the apparel industry in 2006. In his retirement, Neal enjoyed his NYT cross-word puzzles and his five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Martha and is survived by his brother Terry (Valerie); his four daughters Caroline Nolen (Nelson), Margaret Motley (Gary), Mary Ellen McDonald (Harry), and Pinky deButts (Foster); his grandchildren Maddie, Mac, India, Prather, and Foster; and his beloved uncle Robert Backer (Missy).
