A true gentleman passed away on Wednesday.

Dr. Harry Neel, 103, of Massee Street passed away at Albert Lea Medical Center after breaking his hip on Sunday, said Dr. Lowell W. Barr, son of Dr. Lowell C. Barr who worked with Neel.

Neel had lived at Thorne Crest Retirement Center since July.

“Even to the end, he did really well,” Barr said. “He led a balanced life, but he worked awfully hard. He had a 100 years of caring.

Barr called Neel “an amazing individual who’s had a wonderful life.”

Born May 14, 1906, in Daytona, Fla., as an only child, Neel became the first Eagle Scout in Greensboro, N.C.

In 1924, he finished high school and attended college at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. After four years there, he spent another four years at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

He interned as a surgeon for a few years and then in April of 1936, he moved to Minnesota to work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He was what they called a fellow from 1936 to 1940 at the clinic until he married May Bjorsson.

In 1940 the couple came to Albert Lea. They had two children.

Together with a handful of other surgeons, Neel started a small group of medical experts, who worked at the Albert Lea Medical and Surgical Center.

“He was the first surgeon outside of Mayo who went to Albert Lea and set a standard of excellent care there,” Barr said in an April 2009 Tribune story. “He’s always been a wonderful consultant and a wonderful doctor. He not only does surgery, but he attends to the whole patient.”

Barr, who said his family has always been close to Neel’s, said he remembers the former surgeon giving him advice about surgery and medicine before Barr became a medical student. As a pre-medical student, Barr said he got to observe surgery with Neel.

“He’s an excellent surgeon and just a gentleman in surgery,” Barr said.

He also noted Neel’s ability as a historian — in his ability to recall dates of events.

Neel voluntarily served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, on the hospital ship of the USS Solace.

He has been honored through the years at several organizations and was an active Rotarian.

Barr said he took Neel to the Rotary Club’s meeting on Friday and was greeted by at least a dozen people.

In May, more than 1,000 people celebrated his 103rd birthday at the kickoff of the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project.

He was also the grand marshal for this summer’s Third of July Parade.

In an April Tribune article, Neel described the things he had done throughout his life to help him live past a century.

A former World War II veteran, he was a patriotic man, recalling dates of battles past off of the tip of his tongue.

His house was filled with certificates of accomplishment and photos of family.

He enjoyed reading books, interacting with his grandchildren via the Internet, feeding the birds and gardening.

It was rare that he would go out on an errand, when he did not find someone who knew him.

Neel’s death notice from Bonnerup Funeral Service stated there would be no formal service at this time. An obituary is pending.