Alexander (Alex) was the third of four children of Albert and May Neas who were Southland farmers. He spent his childhood on the family farms in Tuatapere and Brydon before leaving school at 15 and working in many different jobs: farming, railways, freezing works, cheese factory etc. After becoming a Christian at 24, he spent the next two years studying full time at the Bible College of N.Z. in Auckland. It was there he met his future wife. They were married on 12th Feb 1966. They spent most of their married life in Christchurch where he spent many years working in Retail and then as the minister of Bromley Baptist Church . After early retirement due to a small brain haemorrhage they moved to Nelson and Alex worked part-time maintaining the gardens of a local tourist attraction.for the last six years of his life. Alex loved the company of other people and had a great sense of humour. He was always playing practical jokes on others. He died of bowel cancer at the age of 64 years. [Fay ABERNETHY]