Doretta M. Neal

MOM WAS AN EXTREMELY KIND AND COMPASSIONATE PERSON. SHE ALWAYS PUT CARING FOR OTHERS FIRST AND SHE TRULY HAD A SERVANTS HEART. MOM WAS NOT AT ALL CONCERNED WITH MATERIAL POSSESSIONS AND AS A CHILD OF POVERTY AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION SHE TRULY APPRECIATED ALL SHE HAD BEEN BLESSED WITH.

MOM CARED FOR OUR FATHER, THE LOVE OF HER LIFE WHO BORE THE EMOTIONAL SCARS OF SERVING IN TWO WARS. DAD'S LOVE OF OTHERS AND HIS GENEROUS SPIRIT HAD BEEN TESTED BY THE HORRORS OF WAR BUT MOM ALWAYS BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN HIM. SHE GREATLY ASSISTED HIM IN REGAINING HIS JOY FOR LIFE AFTER THE KOREAN WAR. THE LOVE, LAUGHTER, AND ADVENTURES THEY SHARED THE NEXT 50 PLUS YEARS OF MARRIAGE FILLED THEIR LIVES.

MOM CARED FOR HER MOTHER IN-LAW & HER AUNT MAY FOR THE BETTER PART OF 20 YEARS UNTIL BOTH PASSED AT 95. SHE CARED DEEPLY FOR HER MOTHER HATTIE, HER BROTHER BOB, & HER SISTER PAT AND THEIR FAMILIES. MOM & DAD WERE AS GENEROUS AS THEY COULD BE WITH THEIR TIME & RESOURCES AND I WATCHED THEM ASSIST THEIR FAMILIES ON MANY OCCASIONS. WE SHARED NEARLY EVERY CHRISTMAS OF OUR CHILDHOOD WITH OUR UNCLE BOB'S FAMILY AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT MEMORIES. SHE LOVED HER NIECE'S & NEPHEWS AS IF THEY WHERE HER OWN CHILDREN. SEVERAL OF OUR FRIENDS HAVE SAID THAT OUR MOM WAS A SECOND MOTHER TO THEM.

MOM WAS AS CLOSE TO HER COUSIN VERLEE AS ANYONE. THE RELATIONSHIP SHE AND MY DAD SHARED WITH VERLEE & HER WONDERFUL HUSBAND GEORGE WAS VERY EVIDENT TO US GROWING-UP. THE LOVE & AFFECTION THE FOUR OF THEM HAD FOR EACH OTHER INSPIRES US TO THIS DAY.

MOM WAS A GREAT FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR. AFTER SHE & MY DAD RETIRED TO FLORIDA IN 1987 THEY WHERE OFTEN VISITED BY FORMER NEIGHBORS & FRIENDS WHO DID NOT WANT TO LOSE THE BOND THEY HAD FORGED THROUGH THE YEARS. MOM BECAME A FRIEND TO HER NEW NEIGHBORS IN SARASOTA OVER THE LAST 29 YEARS AND SHE BECAME CLOSE TO MANY OF LORIE'S FRIENDS WHO CAME TO KNOW HER WELL.

MOM WAS A WONDERFUL GRANDMOTHER TO DYLAN & RYAN. HER VISITS WITH THEM PRODUCED MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES. SHE LOVED TO PLAY WITH THEM AS YOUNG CHILDREN AND SHE WAS SO VERY PROUD OF THE ADULTS THEY HAVE BECOME.

IN HER FINAL TWO YEARS MOM BECAME A FRIEND TO MANY OF THE RESIDENTS AND STAFF AT THE PINES LONG TERM CARE FACILITY. DURNG THE LAST FOUR DAYS WE SPENT WITH MOM WE WHERE SO TOUCHED BY THE RESIDENTS AND STAFF WHO WOULD COME BY HER ROOM OR STOP US IN THE HALL TO SEE HOW SHE WAS DOING. THEY ALL LOVED MOM'S GENTLE CARING SPIRIT AND SHE WAS UPLIFTING TO THEM ALL. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COMPASSIONATE LEVEL OF CARE BOTH OUR MOM AND DAD RECEIVED AT THE PINES.

AS A CHILD WE COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER MOTHER. FOR TEN MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR MOM WAS A SINGLE PARENT MONDAY THRU THURSDAY. OUR DAD WORKED A SALES TERRITORY IN OHIO WHILE WE WHERE AT HOME IN MICHIGAN. MOM WAS A GREAT ENCOURAGER BUT SHE ALSO GAVE US THE DISCIPLINE WE NEEDED TO SUCCEED. SHE COACHED BASKETBALL EVEN THOUGH SHE NEVER PLAYED SO THAT LORIE'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COULD HAVE A TEAM. SHE NEVER MISSED A GAME OF OURS AND SHE WAS OUR BIGGEST FAN.

IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO LIVE WITHOUT MOM'S SMILE AND TO NOT HEAR HER VOICE. SHE LEFT US WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES. WHEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES AND THINK OF HER ALL THOSE MEMORIES

COME RUSHING BACK AND FOR THAT WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

WE REST ASSURED THAT GOD WELCOMED MOM INTO HEAVEN LAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE WORDS "WELL DONE MY CHILD" AND A WARM EMBRACE AS SHE TRULY EXEMPLIFIED GOD'S LOVE FOR US ALL. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE COME TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE WITH US TONIGHT.

LORIE & BILL NEAL

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Doretta M. Neal's name to:

Pines of Sarasota Rehabilitation & Senior Care Community

1501 N Orange Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236