Carol Jane Neef

Long time Grosse Pointe resident Carol Jane Neef, 85, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at St. John's Hospital following a short bout with cancer, with her beloved husband of 63 years, Allan Neef, at her side. She was born February 15, 1928 to Dr. Arlington F. and Gertrude "Trudie" Lecklider, and lived most of her life in the Grosse Pointes. She graduated from Grosse Pointe High School in 1946 and from the University of Michigan with a teaching degree in 1950. She and her husband (son of Arthur and Laura Neef) originally met at dancing school when she was in the 7th grade and they skipped class once to have a movie date, but then didn't have another date until near the end of her junior year in college. They were married on August 26, 1950 in Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. After two years of teaching elementary school while her husband finished law school at the University of Michigan, she turned to raising a family of two daughters, Nancy Neef and Sherrie Neef Vail (Michael) and a son Arthur (known as "Beaver") Neef (Wendy). Carol was an enthusiastic and active member of the community, taking on many leadership roles. She helped found the nursery school at the Grosse Pointe Congregational Church, and chaired Christmas workshops and the Board of Deaconesses at such church. She was a girl scout leader; was very active in P.T.A.; helped found the Recent Graduates Group of AAUW on which she was eventually chairperson after holding various other leadership roles; was active in the Junior Woman's Association for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Junior Group of Good Will Industries, and the Northeastern Wayne County Child Guidance Clinic Assistance League which she chaired. She was active in the alumni association for her sorority, Alpha Phi, and served as President of both the Grosse Pointe Chapter and for the State of Michigan. She also very active in the Grosse Pointe Lawyer's Wives and its fund raising activities for the Juvenile Court and served as its president. With all these activities, it is not surprising she was the "Pointer of Interest" once and gave several other interviews to the newspapers. Carol developed a love for travel from her parents, and as soon as her children were old enough to permit it, she and her husband travelled extensively, beginning in the Orient which particularly fascinated her. She began taking trips around the world on Pan American Airways, and this earned her and her husband an invitation to participate in an experimental inaugural trip to Mainland China in December 1978, which was one of the highlights of her travels and the subject of newspaper interviews. Another highlight was a solo 10 day trip across Siberia and the Trans-Siberian Railway. In more recent years she and her husband took up cruising and have been to almost all of the cruise ports in the world. There was also the annual family vacation week on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Although not a gifted athlete, with her usual enthusiasm she took up in order shuffleboard, sailing, skiing, golfing, tennis and paddle tennis. They pursued there latter three sports at the County Club of Detroit, where they were members. She loved all games, but particularly bridge. She and her husband had both learned the game as teenagers, and continued to play it regularly, graduating to duplicate bridge where they became friends with Bill Root, the renowned bridge teacher and writer. They managed to win more than their share of bridge prizes and both Carol and her husband became life masters. In recent years Carol was playing bridge almost every day of the week, But Carol's most abiding interest was her family, and she regularly orchestrated family get-togethers, particularly for the Bahamas, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She is survived by her husband, her three children, six grandchildren Christopher (Tiffany) Vail, Daniel (Laura) Vail, Jackie (Michael) Vail Burke, Steffi Vail, B.J. Neef, and Dayna Neef, and three great- grandchildren Vanessa Vail (2), Victoria Burke (1), and Annabeth Vail (9 months), along with her brother, Courtney Lecklider. Her remains are being cremated. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at A.H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Avenue at Vernier Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, at 12:00 noon, preceded by a visitation hour starting at 11:00 a.m., and followed by a luncheon. Donations may be made to the Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R. Street NCO6DS, Detroit, MI 48201.

Funeral Home:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe

20705 Mack Avenue

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236