David Sullivan Neel

August 26, 1935 ~ November 1, 2022

A memorial service for David Sullivan Neel of Opelika, Alabama, will be held on Monday, November 7th, at 1:00 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Opelika, Alabama, followed by interment at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Gainesville, Alabama, on Tuesday, November 8th, at 2:00 p.m., Rev. Chris Duncan of Trinity Presbyterian officiating.

Mr. Neel, who died Tuesday, November 1, 2022, was born August 26, 1935, in Meridian, Mississippi, the youngest child of Charles Boswell Neel and Ruby Sullivan Neel of Epes, Alabama. He grew up on the family cattle farm famously described by his brother John as “near Epes” in the midst of “Mr. Charlie’s” prized Black Angus cattle and the Great Depression. In this environment he learned the value of integrity and hard, honest work, hallmarks of his long and productive life.

Shortly following his graduation from Livingston High School in 1953, he joined the U.S. Army Reserves and served until 1962. Subsequent to preparatory studies at Livingston State Teachers College (later Livingston University and now UWA), he attended Auburn University (then API), married his high school sweetheart, Betty Jean Smith, in December of 1957, then graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1958. He entered the engineering profession, working for Florida Power & Light in Miami, Florida, then Southern Research in Birmingham, before moving his growing family home to Sumter County in 1963 and entering the pulp and paper field working as an engineer for Gulf States Paper Company in Demopolis. In 1970 the family moved to Houston, Texas, as he worked for Brown & Root Engineering. In 1973, Alabama called him home, and he began project engineer work with Rust Engineering, later becoming head of pulp and paper engineering sales, which he engaged in until finishing out his career with BE&K.

He entered into a personal relationship with his Lord and Savior in 1974, and served Christ and His Church faithfully as a Deacon and Elder of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and as an Elder and Elder Emeritus of Trinity Presbyterian in Opelika.

He was a devoted husband and a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, ever attentive to the needs, wants and doings of the growing extended family he led so ably.

Mr. Neel was predeceased by his parents, his wife of 61 years Betty Jean Smith Neel, his brothers Armon Neel (Mary Eleanor), Phillip Neel and John Neel, and his brother-in-law Hadden B. Smith, III.

He is survived by his son David S. Neel, Jr. (Emily), daughter Betty Neel Schuster (Chris), daughter Melissa Neel Carrell (Dale), sisters-in-law Lou Neel, Grace Neel and Karen Smith, grandchildren Joshua Schuster (Stephanie), Amy Schuster Jaeger (Mitch), Caroline Neel Wesley (James), Will Carrell (Hilary), Thomas Neel, David Carrell (Laura), Sarah Schuster Steed (Patrick), Andrew Carrell (Emily), Laura Schuster Mason (Hunter), Jake Carrell, and Emmanuel Nkoueleue (Lauren) and great-grandchildren Wyatt, William and Livi Wesley, Caleb and Wesley Schuster, Levi, Lucas, Lawson and BG Jaeger, Sawyer and Sadie Steed, William Carrell, and Victor and Samuel Carrell.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Trinity Presbyterian Church in Opelika, Alabama.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.rockcofuneralmontevallo.com for the Neel family.