Thelma Neal

Thelma attended elementary school at Plummer Grove and high school at Frazier High School in Covington, TN where she was valedictorian of her graduating class. She continued her education at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, where she graduated with a degree in Language Arts Education. While at Tuskegee, Thelma left her mark. She was very popular and loved by many. She was the president of Associated Women Students. She worked in the Registrar’s office; she was the secretary of the Tuskeana yearbook staff; she was member of The Campus Digest (school newspaper). She was a member and Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated (1953, Theta Beta Chapter). She was voted “Most Popular”, and she was crowned Miss Tuskegee 1955!

After graduating from college, Thelma taught English at Frazier High School for a brief period before moving to Indianapolis in 1956 to join her sisters and give birth to her only son Gregory Lamont Neal.

In Indianapolis, Thelma had a successful 30 year career at the Finance Center where she was a civilian employee in the US Army Deserter Information Point. She retired January 2, 1987.

Thelma was a faithful and active member of Barnes United Methodist Church since 1959. She loved her involvement in the Chancel Choir, Tuesday Bible studies, Sunday school, prayer meetings and many other committees and auxiliaries over the years.

While Thelma loved her church involvement, she had an almost equal (if not greater) love for the Indiana Pacers! A true lover of all sports, she was an avid Pacers fan and season ticket holder from 1974 – 2019. She has notebooks filled with game scores. Even in her final days in the hospital, she was keeping Pacers games scores on a napkin.

The Lord called Thelma home on February 14, 2022 at age 90. She was a woman of great faith, dignity, and strength and will be missed by all whom she loved so well. She leaves to cherish her loving memory her sister Esther Johnson (Frank), her granddaughter Toni Bailey (Monte), grandsons Andre Neal (Donielle), and Antoine Neal; 5 great-grandsons: Carter Bailey, Andre Neal Jr., Grant Bailey, Mason Neal, Austin Neal, and 3 great-granddaughters: Lauren Bailey, Aniyah Neal, and Julia Bailey, and a host of loving nieces and nephews.

Thelma is preceded in death by her parents Lawrence and Florida Neal, her son Gregory L. Neal, her sisters Paris Neal Hall, L.V. Holiman, Beatrice Whitley, and her brothers Lawrence B. Neal Jr., Willie Sam Neal Sr., and her twin brother Elma Neal.

Memorials may be given to the Indianapolis Tuskegee Alumni Club (ITAC) in honor of Thelma Neal and will be applied to their scholarship fund.

ITAC P.O. Box 40577 Indianapolis, IN 46240 (write T. Neal Scholarship Fund in memo).

Our family extends a special “Thank You” to all the musicians, ministers, and all of you who have blessed us with your prayers, flowers, calls, food, letters of concern and condolences during our time of sorrow. May God richly bless each of you.