By Jeffrey S. and Beverley Evans
BRIDGEWATER, VA. — Thomas Francis Neale, 84, of Bridgewater, Va., passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 17, at home. His spouse, Glen Schlotfeldt, was at his side after an extended and courageous struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
Born June 19, 1939, in Alexandria, Va., Tom was the son of Martin Thomas Neale and Melma Francis (Shull) Neale. Tom and his spouse, Glen, were together for 62 years and traveled the country doing high-end antiques shows.
Tom and Glen were fixtures at most of the major antiques shows from coast to coast for more than 50 years, including Miami Beach, O’Hara, Indianapolis, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Atlantic City, Brimfield, etc. It was not unusual for them to set up at 30 or more different events a year, all the while shopping along the way. They touched hundreds of lives of both collectors and dealers throughout the country and were recognized among the top experts in many fields. The couple played significant roles in building many of the top collections of Victorian glass and ceramics in the United States, including the Depew, Krauss, Lindsey, Loxterman and Nellans collections. Beverley used to assist them at the Harrisburg and Indianapolis shows and observed, “It wasn’t unusual for Tom to buy something during setup that he knew a specific collector had been seriously looking for and then sell it to them when the show opened for little or no profit.” “That was his way of building longstanding relationships and friendships,” she added, “at the end of the day, that was what was most important to them.”
In addition to buying and selling, Tom and Glen were always willing to mentor new collectors and share their vast knowledge and insight. They were instrumental in Bill Heacock’s publishing of his multi-volume Encyclopedia of Victorian Colored Pattern Glass and contributed significantly to many other volumes, including Wilfred Cohen’s Wave Crest: The Glass of C.F. Monroe. In his acknowledgments, Cohen commented, “No one works harder, tries harder and remembers better than these two. They are always willing and ready to help.”
Throughout his life, Tom was known to be extremely generous, giving to both family and friends. He will be deeply missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.
In addition to his spouse, Tom is survived by his sister, Cecile Franson, of Staunton, Va., as well as numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. His brother, Robert (Bobby) Neale, preceded him in death.
In honor of Tom’s memory, send donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131. Any donations will be greatly appreciated.
