My neighbor crossed the line.....

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I wish I could understand what made my neighbor do what he did but I guess I will never know. I believe he crossed the line but maybe I am just overprotective when it comes to my kids. From one of my earlier posts I wrote that our kitten Tiger had her kittens. She had six kittens and we loved them all. Even though we cant keep them they are still a part of our family and a part of Tiger. Well two days after she had them one of the kittens died. I found it under the couch and told my kids what happend. I could tell they were upset and I told them it was okay to cry and feel sorrow. They asked me what I was going to do with the kitten and I told them we could bury it in the backyard next to my dog Cricket. So Erica asked if we could give the kitten a kitten funeral and I said that was a great idea. We found a box and I let the kids decorate it and they decided to put some toys in there so the kitten wouldnt be alone. We went outside and I dug the hole and then I covered it up. Well my next door was outside and he was watching us the whole time. We decided on a name for the kitten and I said a few words in honor of Blacky. Then all the kids found some flowers and put it on top of the dirt. Well the kids were still upset and they started crying. My neighbor came to the fence and asked what was wrong with the kids and my son Zac siad a kitten died and that we had a funneral for it. Well my neighbor looked at Zac and told him to grow up and stop crying over some stupid kitten. That it was just a kitten and that certainly didnt deserve a mock funeral. He told my kids I should have thrown the kitten in the garbage and put it by the curb or flush it down the toilet. That it was just a animal and that animals die everyday so whats the big deal. He said Zac needed to grow up and be a man and stop making such a spectacle of himself over some stupid animal. Well I was speechless and my kids were horrifid. So I took them inside and tried to calm them down. Not only did I have to try to explain life and death to them but I also had to tell them that there wsnt anything wrong with what we did. Zac felt confused and scared and needed reassurance not ridicule. Later on after I had a long talk with the kids I went and talked with my neighbor. He said I was a you know what and that I was turning my sons into sissys. I told him he needed to mind his own business and I would appreciate it if he kept his mouth shut around my kids. He said that was fine with him because what this world needed was real men not a mamas boy like Zac. He even said I was being punished for my past sins with Logan. Well that opened up pandoras box and the next twenty minutes was me putting that jerk in his place. He has kids of his own, three daughters but no sons. He has a granddaughter and one of his other daughters are expecting. He has always kept to himself to a certain degree but can be nosy and prying at times. We would talk and would be nice to each other so I was really suprised by his actions towards my kids. He and his wife fight alot and they can get very verbal and loud and I have seen her throw stuff at him in their front yard. He is a heavy drinker but has never really bothored us.He doesnt have any pets but would feed my large dogs table food over the fence. Should I have reacted the way I did? Pets are family members as well and I thought I handled the situation the right way. At least my kids will have empathy and is that so wrong. What would you have done, just tossed the kitten in the toilet or did what I did?