I first met Neal on our first day at University, where we discovered we were in the same hall and the same lab group (now known as a tutorial group). He had just spent a year at Rolls Royce and arrived with a friend, Steve Lambert, also sponsored by Rolls. They were both blonde, athletic and very switched on. I found them quite imposing! Soon we were doing electricity and fluids labs together and we had many laughs and worked pretty hard (there were also many trips to the pub I believe....). Neal had a great sense of humour and a love of bad puns which made me laugh. If he missed lectures, he would often borrow my notes, claiming that my
handwriting was delightfully legible (such transparent flattery!). He also had a talent for looking like he was lazing around, whilst actually working. He would sit in front of the telly and do a difficult problem sheet, at a time when that was unheard of - I think that he is one of the few men I know who could genuinely multi-task.

I went off to Germany in our 3rd year so only saw Neal when I returned for the 4th year and he was already working in a job. It was clear he was already doing well, though he was so modest that you would not have known it. I went off to live abroad for the next 6 years and we lost touch until many years later.

He already had a family by the time that we met up again, and then I saw his gentler side. He was always thoughtful and good at listening but I also saw what a loving father he had become. After that we were in touch now and then. He even gave me and my partner advice which helped us buy our first house. Occasionally he would have a question or a request in order to help someone close to him. One day he asked if I could get hold of a PhD from the University library for him (I work at the University). It was clear that he really cared about the person he was getting it for, and so it proved to be. For this PhD was Anna's father's and the rest is history...

Neal, can't believe you're gone. I will miss your wit, your kindness and your roguish laugh.

Lucy Berthoud