Obituaries » MELVINA NEAL
PrintMELVINA NEAL
June 18, 1923 - July 17, 2025
Burial Date: July 25, 2025
Visitation will be held Thursday at Jackson - Highley Funeral Home Chapel from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held Friday, July 25, 2025 at First Missionary Baptist Church, 126 North Coanza Street, West Helena Arkansas at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow immediately at Jackson Memorial Cemetery, Lexa Arkansas. Mrs. Neal's service may be viewed live through ZOOM.
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It is with profound respect that we mark the passing of a cherished individual, Melvina Williams Neal, whose life leaves a lasting legacy and whose memory will continue to illuminate the lives of those fortunate enough to have known her. Melvina was known for her easy smile, gift of gab, and her impeccable style and will be very much missed
Melvina Williams Neal was born June 18, 1923 in Friars Point, Mississippi to Janan and Anderson Williams who both passed when she was a young child before the age of seven. Her mother passed in childbirth and her father sometime before her mother.
After the death of her parents, she and siblings were moved to Arkansas in 1930 where they were raised by grandparents Tamer and Abe Link. She credits her grandparents for providing her with guidance and teaching her the many crafts and life skills learned at an early age.
Melvina was the darling of her grandmother who, as a seamstress, would recreate the fashionable clothing shown in the Sears Catalog for her granddaughter. She recalled fond memories of how her doting grandmother regularly made her new dresses and prepared her hair in preparation for school. Neighbors would say’ Ooh Mrs. Link “this little girl is as pretty as a speckled pup”. She was popular and active while attending the one room Salem School which taught 1st – 8th grades.
She had three sisters; Harriet, Francis, and Mae, and two brothers; Joseph and Anderson Williams (Buster), two nieces and one nephew; Freddie, Clara and Sephronia who preceded her in death. Freddie was raised by grandparents and was like a brother to her.
She met Jerry Neal while attending school and they were married on September 8, 1940. They moved to Helena in 1947. To help ends meet she worked a number of various jobs including waitress at Nick’s Café, Pickens Plywood Mill, The Bakery and eventually creating her own cleaning company. For years she was an active devoted member of the First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School, was a choir member and served on the mother board.
During their 50 years of marriage, Melvina and Jerry Neal had 12 children, 7 girls and 5 boys of which 9 survived (5 girls and 4 boys). She and Jerry were serious about early child hood education and were quite proud that all of their children received college degrees. She was preceded in death by Jerry Neal, Sr. who transitioned in April of 1991.
Melvina was also proceeded in death by Twin boy and Girl Neal (died at birth), her loving daughters; Florida Mae Neal-Hurst and Jerdean Neal-Sullivan, granddaughter; Baby Brenda Daniels (died at birth), Grandsons; Anthony Toy (died at 6mos), Gregory (Tee) Toy and Darryl Green Freeman, daughter-in-law; JoAnn Neal.
After a fire in her West Helena home, she moved to Little Rock in 2019 where she lived until her death on Thursday July 17th 2025.
Left to cherish her loving memory are her children:
Jerry Neal, Jr., Charlie Neal (Brenda), Melvin Benard Neal (Cynthia), Bryant Jerome Neal (Debbie), Sherry Ann Neal- Daniels (Billie), Brenda Renea Neal Thomas (Rickey), Sandra Faye Knowles (Barry), 18 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, and 6 Bonus children; Diane Taylor, Teresa Powers, Arbra Ackee, Bobbie Burnside, Delores Erby and Debra Calmes and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
