J Neal

Jeffrey C. Neal 1953-2013. Jeffrey Clay Neal was born to Walter and Virginia Neal on January 26, 1955. His father was an Air Force Officer, so little Jeffrey was born at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina. Jay and his sisters were very close in age—each born a year apart. This gave his childhood the unique opportunity of always being “on the move”, yet they remained tightly bonded as siblings. In 1972 the family settled in Las Vegas after retiring from the Air Force, and Jay graduated from Rancho High School in 1973. His dream was to become an entertainer, and he was talented at acting and music. Jay met Cindy when they were both performers in a musical show which traveled with the Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage to Pa., a nationwide project to celebrate America’s 200th birthday. Cindy came to Las Vegas with Jay in 1976 where they began a career as a vocal duo “Jay and Harmony”. They were married at the Neal family home in 1978. Together, Jay and Cindy performed in numerous Las Vegas lounges and nightclubs and traveled throughout the United States for 13 years. Harmony Jane Neal was born in Las Vegas in 1980. Jeremiah Clay Neal was born in Las Vegas in 1982. In 1989 Jay began his career with the City of Las Vegas Rainbow Co. Youth Theatre, where he was artist, musician, writer, set designer, sound designer and engineer, actor, teacher, and Tour Show director. He wrote music for, and toured in 20 Nevada History shows to entertain and teach over a million elementary students about Nevada History. He holds copyrights to 150 songs and musical scores. He was most honored to be a staff member of Rainbow Co. when they received the Nevada Governor’s Arts Award, the American Children’s Theatre Foundation Medallion Award, and when they were inducted into the UNLV Hall of Fame for the College of Arts and Architecture in 2011. Jay was a member of Henderson Presbyterian Church. He loved golfing and any kind of active sport, but his favorite activity was playing his guitar and singing for live audiences large and small. Jay had close relationships with all of his brothers and sister-in-laws, and especially loved being Uncle Jay to his 13 nieces and nephews. We treasure Jay for his outgoing personality, his high-spirited, fun-loving wit, his extraordinary music, his skill in the theatre workshop, and his love for his family. Jeffrey Clay “J” Neal: Loving son, husband, friend, and father, died July 21, 2013.