Lillian Neal

Lillian Elizabeth (Layun) Neal was born on January 10, 1930 in Centerpoint, Arkansas to the union of Alex and Mary Evelina Vaughn. She was the first child of seven children. She passed through this life on Saturday, December 26, 2015. Her husband of 44 years,

Eli Wesley Neal, brothers, Aubrey and Brice Vaughn, her parents, Alex Vaughn and Mary Evelina Coulter, and one son who passed shortly after birth, preceded her in death.

Eli and Lillian (Layun) moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1953. This union raised six children, Carrie Edwards-Neal, Ronald, Charles, James, Stanley, and Cecil Neal.Sister Neal obeyed the gospel at an early age, studied her Bible and walked the life of a strong Christian. She was a hard worker for the Lord and the Tonto Church of Christ for sixty two (62) years. She not only taught her children and others the Christian values, she exemplified these values in her Christian walk with the Lord. She dedicated her expert culinary skills as one of her many tithes for the love of the Lord and to the Tonto Church of Christ.

Sister Neal was passionate and committed to her baking skills. She became one of the first black enterprises in the valley as she established her catering business, “Sweet by Lillian” to support her endeavors she worked for Desert Crest Retirement, First United Methodist Church,

and Wells Fargo from which she retired.

She is survived by her children: daughter, Carrie Harvey (Derrick), sons, Ronald (Gioia) of Phoenix, Arizona, Charles (Valeda) of Vancouver, Washington, James (Mattie) of Vancouver, Washington, Stanley (Debbie) and Cecil Neal of Phoenix, Arizona, her sisters Lucille (Warner) Clardy,

Mary Sue Payne of Phoenix, Arizona, Doris Brandon of Los Angeles and Belinda Coulter of Scottsdale, Arizona, 21 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and other relatives, extended family and friends.Those of us who were blessed to know and love her and follow her example of being better individuals because of the life she lived.