Rev. Fred George Neal, Sr. passed peacefully on Friday, February 19, 2021 in Reidsville, North Carolina.  A private memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 5, 2021 at McLaurin Memorial Chapel.  Public viewing will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The undeniably remarkable, Reverend Fred G. Neal, Sr. lived a purpose-driven life and left an unforgettable legacy that demonstrated the love and light of Jesus Christ.  Truly beloved by all those he encountered, Fred was a devoted husband, proud father, preacher and teacher whose life was reflective of his personal life's mantra, "faith and trust" in Jesus Christ. This mantra was rooted in the assurance derived from his favorite scripture, "Jesus Christ the same, yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8.

On August 13, 1937, Fred G. Neal was born to Bertha and Wesley Neal in Reidsville, North Carolina.  Raised in a God-fearing home, he discerned the spirit of Jesus Christ at an early age and remained a life-long dedicated soldier in the Lord's army. Blessed to be a part of a large family unit, Fred was the youngest of 11 children.  As the baby of the family, he was often spoiled by his older siblings, especially his beloved big sister Verneice (Neicy).  While his mother Bertha worked as a midwife and his father in the local tobacco factory, Fred was sometimes cared for by a family member he affectionately called "Cousin Ann".  Fred loved to tell stories of what his days were like when he was in her care.  He enjoyed reminiscing about watching her churn homemade butter and feeding him fresh raw eggs with nutmeg for breakfast.  While growing up, Fred formed a special bond and spent a lot of time with his niece Gwendolyn, who was more like a younger sister to him. The importance of family was deeply ingrained in Fred from the beginning.

When Fred approached school age, he attended a one room schoolhouse. He also did his part to contribute to the home, as he was responsible for chopping wood and mopping the floors. Later in his teen years, he held a job at the town theater, operating movie reels.  Interestingly, as a teen, he won a rodeo contest where his win was featured in the local paper.   Fred graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1954. After high school, he attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC and then made the courageous decision to join the United States Army, where he bravely served his country in the Vietnam War.  While in the military, he trained to become a dental laboratory technician.  One of his most noteworthy accomplishments was in 1973-76 when he was placed in a leadership role as the Chief Dental Non-Commission Officer in charge of the laboratory staff which supported the commander in all operational procedures. Under the Army Medical Command Headquarters, Fred serviced 54 military facilities throughout the United States and overseas. The position required him to be responsible for 65, military and civilian, lab technicians.  This trailblazing achievement was unprecedented for an African-American during this time.  His dental training led to a professional career at the Veterans Administration Dental Clinic that later led to a long-standing tenure as an instructor at Howard University School of Dentistry, in Washington, DC from which he retired in 1995. He continued making dentures long after for local dental offices, family and friends. His masterful technical skills were known to be impeccable and well respected by his colleagues and superiors.  Fred often donated dentures to those who were not able to afford them. His illustrious dental career spanned well over 50 plus years.

Continuing to lead his life by his personal mantra of faith and trust , he accepted the call to the ministry after retiring from the military in 1976.  Shortly thereafter, he attended seminary college at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia and was later ordained as a Baptist Minister in 1980.  He became the pastor of Mt. Ararat Baptist church in Suitland, Maryland 1984.  In the early days of his pastoring, he served in numerous capacities in the church.  Some of these roles included, Sunday school teacher, Sunday school bus driver and even church custodian.  As a servant leader, he filled in wherever there was a need.  His leadership was instrumental in growing the membership and ministries until his retirement in the mid 2000's.  Over the years, he took great honor in marrying, baptizing, christening and eulogizing many of his own family members.

Rev. Neal's compassion for people naturally gave him a heart for social activism which also inspired him to actively participate in politics on the local, state and federal levels throughout his life.  In the early 80's, he formed the organization "Food for the Needy'' and embarked on a mission's trip to address the famine crisis in Somalia, Africa.  He was also the founder of Suitlandfest and P.A.C.T., an outreach and community program for at-risk mothers and their children.  Rev. Neal received numerous local, state and national awards for his humanitarian achievements. To name a few, some of his accolades included awards from the National Business Association, the Suitland Community, the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award, recognition from the Governor of Maryland and the Maryland State Senate, where he was invited annually to speak.  In addition, Rev. Neal was also an active member of the Ministers Conference of Washington, DC and the Progressive National Baptist Conference for many years.  In later years, he continued to stay politically active while living in North Carolina. He was instrumental in getting his local mayor elected and responsible for registering numerous first-time voters. Rev. Neal even committed to ensuring that many of those new voters had transportation to the polls.

In Fred's spare time, he enjoyed many hobbies and was gifted with many skills.  His military travel experiences expanded his horizons and afforded him the opportunity to live in various locations from California to Germany.  This is what led to his love of travel.  He vacationed all around the world including Thailand, Spain, London and Venezuela, just to name a few.

In addition to traveling, Fred loved to tinker and work with his hands.  He could repair practically anything!  He made beautiful, handcrafted gold jewelry pieces for friends and family.  He even designed a wedding band set for his eldest daughter and son-in- law. Fred delighted in managing home renovation and improvement projects.  Using his gifted hands, he once finished an entire basement in one of his residences, including the carpentry, electrical and plumbing work.  In every home he'd ever owned, he built or renovated a designated space for his dental lab where he would spend countless hours working and listening to Christian talk radio.  Fred also loved to garden and took pride in maintaining a well-manicured lawn.  During the Christmas season, which was his favorite holiday, he teemed with excitement when planning how he would design his outdoor light display.  Many of the light decorations he used were also hand-crafted and designed by him.

Fred was quite a "foodie" and cherished the times he was able to enjoy a delicious meal which he referred to as " good-eats." He was also very health conscious and believed in exercising and in the importance of keeping the body moving.  Throughout his life, he made walking and physical fitness a regular part of his lifestyle.  Fred was also an avid reader who loved studying God's word during his quiet time.

When he moved back home to North Carolina from Maryland in later years, unbeknownst to Fred, his life would change forever thanks to the impeccable matchmaking skills of his two nieces. Fred was set up on a blind date with Faye and the rest was history!  They were both immediately smitten and drawn to one another through the common interests and values they shared.  The two became inseparable!  Bonded as soulmates, they married and discovered a whole new world together.  The loving couple jet-setted all around the globe on first-class vacations, learned how to ballroom dance and were known to host some of the best social events in town.  His love for her and her devotion to him, brought him pure joy.

Likewise, Fred's family brought him sheer happiness.  He loved his family! He was an amazing father, grandfather, brother and uncle.  The love he had for his family was infinite and there was nothing that he would not do to support them.  He served as the patriarchal rock , but what made him even more special was that he would show up in the same manner for his friends.  He gave of himself selflessly in every way and never complained.  Fred's light and magnetic personality drew people to him.  However, what was more impressive was his humility and the inviting way that he had about himself.  He made everyone feel special, "seen" and validated.  He was patient, kind and a great listener, full of Godly wisdom.  Surprisingly, he was very funny and possessed perfect comedic timing. He was a joyful and easy-going person who never took himself too seriously.  He had a deep hearty laugh that was infectious! Before even entering a room, his distinctive voice could be heard by all and when he finally entered, his presence would fill the entire room!

Most significantly, Fred G. Neal LOVED and HONORED the LORD with all that he had in him.  His personal mantra of "faith'' and "trust" in Jesus Christ, sustained and carried him through both the good and challenging times in his life. He held fast to his faith until the very end of his life knowing that he was one blessed man.  On December 27, 2017, he said it best in one of his final written reflections, " I have my peace and joy. I have been blessed so much that it is hard to look at the future...I am one happy 80 year old man.  I have always tried to live right, be a good father, grandfather and friend to all.  I am happy with my children and grands. God has been good to all of us."

We can all rest assured that his beautiful soul returned home to be with his Heavenly Father.  May his legacy live on in all of us who love him.

He leaves to celebrate his life and cherish his memory, his loving wife, Alice Faye Neal, of the home; his children, Jeritza "Risa" Montgomery (Dwain) , of Upper Marlboro, MD, Fred G. Neal, Jr. (Charmaine ), of Reidsville, NC and Tranishia "Nee-Nee" Cowan (Augusteen) , of Upper Marlboro, MD; grandchildren, Donté Montgomery, Mikiela Nelson (Kalan), Charise Neal, Franco Neal, Brooke Cowan and Augusteen Cowan, lll; and four great-grands.  He also leaves his sister, Verneice Hart, of Upper Marlboro, MD and beloved niece, Gwendolyn Bardwell, of Upper Marlboro, MD; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who were all special to him.

McLaurin Funeral Home is serving the family.  Covid-19 precautions will be followed with social distancing, masks and sanitizing required.  You may connect to the Virtual services via teleconference call by dialing (701) 802-5263 and then access code 6545855# or FaceBook livestreaming via McLaurin Funeral Home's FB page.