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Willie Opal Neal
01/15/1914 — 12/23/2010
From Bellevue, WA, US | Born in Rose, OK
Willie Opal Neal
Willie Opal Neal
Willie Opal Neal, beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, 96, a 62 year resident of the Richland area, passed away on December 23, 2010 in Bellevue, WA. She was born on January 15, 1914 in Rose, Oklahoma and was raised with eight brothers and sisters.
She married Leonard C. Neal and they had two sons, Tilbert and William. The family moved to Richland, WA in 1948. She worked at G.E. and U.S. Testing in their laboratories at Hanford, she retired in 1979.
Willie enjoyed quilting, knitting, crocheting and made quilts for each member of her family. Gardening was an interest of hers with a huge vegetable garden each year. She enjoyed baking pies; she always had at least five or more types of pie at any big dinner.
In 1996 Willie moved to Bellevue, WA to be near her son, William. She lived at the Garden Club retirement home. Willie enjoyed time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was able to pass on the love of knitting to her great-granddaughters.
Willie is survived by her son, William P. Neal wife Esther; granddaughter, Kimberly Hitchcock; grandson, Tyler Neal wife Angela; great-grandchildren, Jordan, Joshua Sappenfield, Jaxon Utter, Riley and Taylor Neal. She is also survived by her sisters Hazel Duncan of Kennewick, WA; Edna Littlefield of McAllister, OK and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Leonard Neal; son, Tilbert Neal; parents, Oscar and Fannie Hale; sisters, Dennie, Gladyes, Mildred, Louise and her brothers, Bud and A.J.
Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, the family will have a service at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity.
I was truly sorry to hear of Bill’s passing…
I was a close friend of Tilbert Neal from the seventh grade through High School. We did everything together during that time while growing up. It was through my friendship with Tilbert that I came to know Willie, his father Leonard, and his brother Bill. They were a close family and Tilbert and Bill had great respect for their parents. I remember Willie as a loving mother and how welcome she made me feel whenever I was in their home. She was a very gracious lady, and I will always remember her and her family.
Willie is survived by her son and loads of friends with only good thoughts of her and her beautiful happy smile
Willie Neal. What a cook! And, such a great lady. I will always remember how friendly and gracious Willie was. Many years ago, I was welcomed into Leonard and Willie’s home out on the Yakima River in West Richland many times. Willie demonstrated her great cooking abilities and showed all of us visiting her what Oklahoma cooking was all about. Some of the things she cooked, I had never seen or tasted before but was it good…yum!
Tilbert, Tom Skelly and Harvey Chapman along with many other friends were always welcomed and we spent many afternoons at the Neal house just enjoying great conversation and a lot of laughs. Those were the days, my friend….
Willie was a great lady and she will be missed.
Barbara Skelly Foley
Guestbook for
Willie Opal Neal