The son of Edward Frederick "Ed" Jacoby and Iva May Mann, Neal was named in honor of his maternal grandfather, Neal Mann. The Jacoby family lived in Chesterfield, Macoupin County, Illinois.

Neal married Kathleen Chamberlain in 1930 in Carrollton, Greene County, Illinois. They were the parents of 2 children and lived in Hartford, Madison County, Illinois where he worked at the tannery associated with the International Shoe Company. He retired after 37 years of service.

Kathleen worked as a waitress in the Shell Oil Company canteen in Roxana, Illinois. She retired in March of 1971 due to failing health.

Kathleen passed away in October of 1971 at the age of 60.

Neal lived until 1982. At the time of his death at Lawrenceville County Memorial Hospital, he was 74 years, 6 months and 7 days old.

He was survived by 1 son, Richard Jacoby of Lawrenceville, Illinois; 1 daughter, Carolyn Carlisle of Louisville, Kentucky; 1 grandchild; 4 sisters, Esther Steele of Rockbridge, Illinois, Faye Robinson of East Alton, Illinois, Helen Barr of Hartford, Illinois, and mary Lovell of Roxana, Illinois; and 4 brothers, Wendell Jacoby of Roxana, Illinois, Steve Jacoby of Hartford, Illinois, Jack Jacoby of West Alton, Missouri, and Jake Jacoby of Peoria, Illinois.

Visitation was held on 03 Aug 1982 at Gray Funeral Home in Wood River, Illinois. Funeral services were conducted there at 2 p.m. the following afternoon. Neal was buried next to his wife, Kathleen, who passed away in 1971.

The Jacobys' daughter, Carolyn, died in late 2008, and son, Richard, in 2012.

Children: 1 son, 1 daughter.

Father of:
Richard Jacoby, Sr.
Carolyn Jacoby Carlisle

Neal's siblings:
Esther May Jacoby Steele
Faye L. Jacoby Robinson
Wendell M. Jacoby
Helen M. Jacoby Barr
Robert Franklin Jacoby
Mary Louise Jacoby Lovell
Kenneth W. "Jack" Jacoby
Delbert M. "Jake" Jacoby
Milford Harlan "Steve" Jacoby
Infant Daughter Jacoby
Infant Daughter Jacoby