Neill obituaries, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Name, date of obit, date submitted, submitted for the USGenWeb Archives by: Neill, Edwin H., II 3 Mar 2004 Mar 2004 Don Johnson Neill, Harriet Baum 30 Mar 2005 Apr 2005 Jerry Nelson *************************************************************************** Obituary published in The Advocate (Baton Rouge) on: 3/3/2004 NEILL, EDWIN H., II Neill Corp. chief executive officer Edwin Neill II died at age 64. A Hammond family company loses innovator, father, mentor and friend. Edwin Neill II passed over early Saturday morning, Feb. 28, 2004. Neill was CEO of the Hammond-based Neill Corp., the largest independent distributor of AVEDA products in the world. His multimillion-dollar company covered 10 states in the Southeast and is a major force in the beauty industry. Beyond creating hundreds of jobs, employing more than 500 people, and bringing progressive thinking to the community, he was also an environmentalist, preservationist and restored many of the historic buildings in downtown Hammond, bringing new life to the area. Other corporate companies include 10 Aveda concept salons in Louisiana: Paris Parker Salons and Spas and Lockworks Salons; three Garrison's and Tatum's Global Bar, a healthy cafe and coffee bar that specialized in organic ingredients; seven Aveda Institutes, cosmetology schools in Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana. Neill was a visionary, an entrepreneur, a husband, a father and a friend. His life was dedicated to creating opportunity for others and helping people reach their full potential. Mick Zatarain, a governmental and private consultant, whose family has been close with the Neill family for years, said, "He created hundreds of jobs and so many families were affected by him, and that's long-lasting. He really loved Hammond. I don't think people realized the impact he made in the downtown area. Neill Corp. was one of the first in the country to allow children to go to work with their parents. They have a nursery school on-site. It was cited on PBS. They're environmentally friendly and, to them, people are more than just employees." "No one can ever fill his shoes," said Edwin Neill III, son of Edwin Neill II and chief financial officer of Neill Corp. "He was so unique and such an innovator. He is still present to all of us: if you ask yourself a question, you can sense how he would answer. In recent years, instead of slowing down and enjoying his success, he worked even harder at the business. He also worked hard at being a father. He knew that it was all about people, and that's one of the things we can learn from him. He always looked to the future and wanted to be better." "Many people in addition to myself and my siblings lost a father with the passing of my Dad," said Ross Neill, chief technology officer of Neill Corp. "Edwin had grown into a person that loved everyone. His impact has been and will continue to be enormous through all of the people he has assisted in realizing their potential." Neill's death has touched the beauty industry nationwide. "Edwin represents all that is and can be good," commented Melissa Yamaguchi, president of The Salon Association. "He believed in the good beyond the game of business. He saw the horizon beyond the shampoo and conditioner landscape. Every time I saw Edwin, he took the time to look me in the eyes and connect. He always had words of encouragement and visions of possibilities." "Edwin has always been about others: his family, employees, customers, community," said Dominique Conseil, president of Aveda. "I hear his words, 'It cannot be about our planet unless it is about its inhabitants, people.' Edwin is forever the synonym of this value we promote as individuals, as a company, as a network: CARE. One of the best demonstrations of care is to develop others. Edwin's generous heart is in all his accomplishments, most particularly his cosmetology school development program. And he is in all our hearts." Frederic Holzberger, founder and CEO of Aveda/Frederic's, a northern AVEDA distributor, said of Neill, "I've known Edwin for 20 years and I can tell you this: He loved his family, loved people and never knew a stranger. He knew how to create unique relationships with those closest to him, with friends, customers, anyone he came in touch with. A true giant in our industry, Edwin was way ahead of his time. He was a creator, an entrepreneur, without a doubt. When he walked in a room, you sensed his presence; when he spoke, you listened; when he touched you, you felt his strength. Edwin was an environmentalist who restored the old to create the new. He was definitely a risk taker and a true genius. He taught me a lot. Edwin shared everything. His passing has left a huge void in our industry that is sure to be felt by all." Neill Corp. encompasses several other businesses, all centered around the growth and development of the beauty industry. Twenty years ago, Neill was one of the pioneers to address the need for a specialized software for the salon and spa industry. The result was SalonBiz(r) and SpaBiz(r), which have been the No. 1 software of Salon Today's Top 200 five years in a row. In the late 1990s, Neill launched etopa, a salon and spa resource for architectural and interior design, business plans, sundries, supplies, furniture and equipment, and retail sales development. Neill was passionate about learning. Some of the businesses that were closest to his heart dealt with personal and professional development. Neill Quality College was his brainchild, dedicated to innovative learning methods that included team building, rope courses, mind mapping, as well as basic business principals. Out of his love of innovative thinking, Neill also created ededge, a book summary club that featured author interviews with some of the most cutting-edge thinkers of our time. "Edwin was a man of both vision and action," said Michael Bledsoe, president of Headlines Salon in Seattle. "He inspired people around him to become more than they thought possible. He achieved major success in more segments of his industry than any other person, and he accomplished this while always placing family first. Talking to Edwin one-on-one was one of the most exciting things I've done in my life. He was a mentor, a role model, an inspiration, and a fine friend." Neill won numerous community and professional awards. He is survived by his wife, Debra; seven children, Edwin Neill III, Marty Hebeisen of Bern, Switzerland, Ross Neill, Stern Neill of Seattle, Tatum Neill, Garrison Neill and Paris Neill; five grandchildren and hundreds of friends and coworkers. A celebration of his life will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 4, 2004, at the Neill family home, 32872 Cullum Road, in Springfield, near Hammond. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to: Child Advocacy Services, 1504 W. Church St., Hammond, LA 70401 c/o Mary Pirosko. CAS is a non-profit organization that provides programs, like CASA, for abused and neglected children. Horst M. Rechelbacher, founder of AVEDA and a personal friend of Neill's, commented this on his passing, "Greatness never ends, it continues." For more information, please visit http://www.neil.net. *************************************************************************** Obituary published in The Advocate (Baton Rouge): 3/30/2005 NEILL, HARRIET BAUM A resident of Ponchatoula, she died Saturday, March 26, 2005, at North Oaks Medical Center, Hammond. She was 89 and a native of Texarkana, Texas. Visiting at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, Ponchatoula, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 31. Visiting at First United Methodist Church, Ponchatoula, from 10 a.m. Friday, April 1, until religious service at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. Jimmy Wall and the Rev. Larry Robertson. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Abner P. Jr. and Sharon Neill, Ponchatoula; a daughter, Hertha Neill Davis, Hammond; daughter-in-law, Debra Paris Neill, Springfield; 13 grandchildren and 23 great-grand- children. She was preceded in death by her mother, Hertha Stern Baum; husband, Abner P. Neill; and a son, Edwin H. Neill II. Mrs. Neill was a co-founder of the Neill Corp. and a member of the First United Church in Ponchatoula. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church in Ponchatoula. ***************************************************************************