Helen S. Neal

She was born in Jeannette, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1932, daughter of the late Constantine Smiy and Mary Smiy Capar. She went on to graduate from Jeannette High School, Class of 1950, and worked at Elliot Company in Jeannette, PA. At a dance in 1958, she met Edgar Neal, a Madison, PA resident, and they were soon married in 1959. Not long after, a son, Gary Neal arrived in 1960, and later another son, Robert Neal was born in 1963. The family moved to Germantown, Maryland in 1968.

Helen was a stay-at-home mom looking after her two children for many years. When her sons were older, Helen went to work at Comsat Laboratories in Clarksburg, Maryland and worked there for 20 years.

Helen loved family and always looked forward to family trips from Germantown back to Western Pennsylvania to visit both her relatives and Edgar’s, in addition to visiting her grandchildren in Virginia Beach. Helen and Edgar took up ballroom dancing later in life and looked forward to classes each week. Helen also loved her variety puzzle books. Many a late night, you would find Helen in the family room of her home working to complete each book.

In addition to her parents, Helen was predeceased by her husband Edgar Neal; sister, Mary Yaksic; brothers, Paul Smiy, William Smiy and Nicholas Smiy; and stepfather, Steve Capar. Helen is survived by her two sons, Gary Neal and his wife, Sheila of Cudjoe Key, FL, and Robert Neal and his wife, Andrea of Virginia Beach, VA; two grandchildren, Amber Neal and Matthew Neal, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Arrangements will be made by Devol Funeral Home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. There will be a service at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8th at Church of the Ascension, 205 South Summit Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. There will be an additional service at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 10th at Westmoreland County Memorial Park Cemetery, Hempfield Township, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Church of the Ascension in Gaithersburg, MD in her name.