Carolyn V. Neal

I remember spending the night at Auntie Helen’s, and my mom wasn’t there. Then in a few days I was sitting in the back seat of my dad’s car between my Aunts, as we pulled up to a building. There was my mom, and she was holding something wrapped up. I soon learned she was holding my best friend, my sister Carolyn Vanessa Neal.

Born on January 19, 1964 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, in Cleveland, Ohio. Carolyn

was a force to be reckoned with, even as a child. She was always strong-willed and

super smart. Raised in the village of Friendship Baptist Church, under the pastorate of the late Dr. James Stallworth, her knowledge of God was established at a young age.

Per the directive of our Mother: “you’re going to learn to play the piano and type” and that she did.

Along with the piano, Carolyn also played the violin, clarinet and organ. Carolyn played for the Sunday

School and played solos for our Grandmother when she had to develop programs for the Missionary

Society. Carolyn was also a serious Alto.

Carolyn obtained her formal education in the Cleveland public Schools. After the fourth grade, she

was enrolled in the school district’s Major Work-Enrichment Program at Hazeldell Elementary school.

Carolyn was soon enrolled in and graduated from Villa Angela Academy. During her school days, Carolyn

learned to speak fluent French and Latin. As an adult, Carolyn became an American Sign Language

Certified Interpreter, frequently teaching her nieces and nephews how to sign her name and theirs.

Carolyn earned her Associates Degree from Baldwin Wallace University, and her Bachelors

and Masters Degree in Library Science from Clark Atlanta University. Carolyn was the ultimate information “guru.” As a people-person, she delighted in helping people access what they needed. She deployed these skills in a variety of settings: as a Librarian in the Cleveland Public Library, at University School as the Library Director, as teacher of Library Services and Information Technology at Bryant and Stratton; and as the Community Resource Specialist in the Office on Aging for the City of Cleveland Heights.

Carolyn was everyone’s favorite “auntie.” She loved 80’s music, singing in the Junior Combined Choir at Friendship Baptist Church, singing with worship ministry at First Baptist Church and in the Community Chorus for the Martin Luther King Day celebration with the Cleveland Orchestra. Carolyn was prolific reader and volunteer, she hosted exchange students through AFS and was an active member of

the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa (education sorority). Most importantly she was a loving and loyal

family member and friend.

She leaves to cherish her life and a thousand memories, her sister, Dorothy Hodge, her nephew Elijandre Hodge, a special friend, Carlos Latimer, her aunt, Helen Rufus, a special cousin Wash Jones and the daughter-of-her-heart, Sintoya Kisio. Carolyn will always be remembered by numerous relatives, cousins, a loving group of friends, the line dance crew and countless children she has helped throughout her lifetime.

Humbly Submitted,

The Family