Neal, Donald Lee

Donald Lee Neal, 88 of Vinton, passed away Monday, December 12th, 2016 at Our Lady of the Valley Retirement Community in Roanoke. He was born in Narrows on December 23rd, 1927, and was the son of the late Cedric Oren Neal and Eula Earnest Neal.

In addition to his mother and father, he was preceded in death by a twin sister, Peggy Davies.

A 1944 graduate of Narrows High School, Don entered Virginia Tech in January 1945, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps immediately following World War II, serving a radio operator assigned to the 309th Air Squadron in Japan. He returned to Virginia Tech, where he graduated in 1950. Don was a retired employee of Celanese in both Narrows and Rock Hill, South Carolina with 30 years of service. While in Narrows, he was a member of the Narrows Lions Club, Narrows Kiwanis Club, and the Narrows Town Planning Commission. Don was also a faithful member of First United Methodist Church, where he served as a Sunday School teacher.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 67 years, Billie Neal; a daughter, Donna Neal Kerfoot and husband Tom of Roanoke; a son, Michael Neal of wife Diane of Rocky Mount; five grandchildren, Brittany Kerfoot Kilstein and husband Will, Emily Kerfoot Beiswanger and husband Corey, Allison Kerfoot and special friend Hank Marshall, Joshua Lee Neal, and Kayla Hill and husband Isaac.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 17th, 2016 at 1 PM at First United Methodist Church in Narrows with Pastor Joe Dillon and Rev. Doug Armstrong officiating. Burial will follow in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family requests that those sending memorial contributions, please consider the Roanoke City Rescue Mission; 402 4th Street, SE; Roanoke, VA 24013.

The family is being served by Riffe’s Funeral Service in Narrows, (540) 726-2442, and online at riffefuneralservice.com.