Albert "Ad" Neal

ORDER OF SERVICE Prelude Hymn Medley Invocation Ministerial Staff Hymn of Affirmation # 158 “Great Is Thy Faithfulness" Choir & Congregation Scriptural Readings: Old Testament Psalm 23 Ministerial Staff New Testament II Corinthians 4:16 - 5:9 Ministerial Staff Prayer of Comfort Dr. Fred Gibson Greater Providence Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC Musical Selection #137 “God Will Take Care Of You” Choir Reflections (three minutes please) Honorable Kelly M. Alexander, Jr. Executive Vice President, Alexander Funeral Home/ N.C. House of Rep. Mr. Dexter Green ~ Mentee Mr. Oswald Neal ~ Son Acknowledgements Mrs. Nikki Bradley Granddaughter Reading of the Obituary Silently Musical Selection Choir Eulogy Pastor Jones Recessional Hymn “Goin Up Yonder" Choir & Congregation Committal Benediction Interment Friday, April 22, 2016 ~ 11:00 a.m. National Cemetery 501 Statesville Boulevard Salisbury, NC 28144 ***************************************************** LIFE & LEGACY OF A SERVANT BY NATURE If you are a male and native Charlottean, chances are A.D. Neal gave you, your son, and/or grandson your first haircut at Neal’s Barber Shop. His career as a barber spanned more than 75 years to include over 50 years of owning and operating Neal’s Barber Shop in West Charlotte. Mr. Albert D. Neal departed this life Sunday, April 17, 2016 at Novant Health Presbyterian Hospital. Mr. Neal was born on January 22, 1923 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the last of four children born to Joseph Abner and Sarah Sterling Neal. Educated in the public schools of Charlotte, he graduated from West Charlotte High School. While at West Charlotte, A.D. assisted in writing the school’s alma mater and was the school’s first quarterback of the football team. After graduation, he entered the United States Army in 1943 and made Staff Sergeant in only eight months and during his service, was the foreman who loaded the first atomic bomb during World War II. In 1949, A.D. married his childhood sweetheart, Mildred Roberta Byers of Charlotte, who passed away in 1953 and later married Willette Craine of Charlotte in 1955 who also passed away in 1968. His professional career began at the age of six, when A.D. started shining shoes in Charlotte at local barber shops. He began cutting hair for fifteen cents at thirteen years old. Years later, A.D. attended Carver College at night to study Business Administration where he was an honor student. After “semi-retiring” from his barber shop in 2004, Mr. Neal continued to provide haircuts for his regular customers from his home. When his customers’ declining health prevented them from coming to him, he would make house calls. Continuing to have a desire to serve, Mr. Neal became a licensed Funeral Director later in life and served at Northwest Funeral Home for eight years and Alexander Funeral Home for fifty years. He always spoke of how much he enjoyed working with the Alexander staff and it became his second home. He accepted Christ at an early age at Greater Gethsemane A.M.E. Zion Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. As an adult, Mr. Neal joined Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of Charlotte in 1968 and was a long-serving member of the church choir in the bass section. He had a reputation for being dressed to the nines each Sunday and would make sure that everyone got a view of his meticulously chosen ensemble. In the community, he was a Unique Lodge #85 Prince Hall Mason, Shriner, and a member of the Trojans Social Club. He was preceded in death by his parents; two wives and three siblings: Mr. Joe Neal, Mr. Thomas Neal, and Mrs. Sarah Neal Byrd (Charlie). Mr. Neal will best be remembered for his love of the Lord and his church, his devotion to his family, his quick wit, his mentorship of young barbers, his dapper style, his culinary skills, and his unique brand of wisdom which he freely shared with customers, family, and friends alike. Left to cherish his loving memories are two daughters, Ms. Wanda Neal Frazier Nelson and Mrs. Jackie Gibson (Ronnie); one son, Mr. Oswald Neal (Sherrin) of Charlotte, North Carolina; eight grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Sarah Neal of Washington, D.C.; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends. **************************************************** Floral Bearers & Casket Bearers Friends of the Family Acknowledgements We sincerely thank you for every act of kindness during this time of our sorrow.Your prayers, calls, visits, words of encouragement and support as well as many expressions of love, sympathy and thoughtfulness are helping us to endure. Please continue to pray for us now and as we adjust over time. A special thanks to Anita Ingram for your love and support. We also express our heartfelt gratitude of appreciation to Alexander Funeral Home and staff for their devotion, love and support of our father down through the years.