Submitted by: John C. Monk

July 21, 1951 - Jan. 13, 2008
SOUTH BEND - Willie Neal Jr., 56, of South Bend, IN, passed away at 2:30
a.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008, in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center,
South Bend. He was born on July 21, 1951, in South Bend, IN. On August
5, 1988, in South Bend, he married Ila M. (Reiman) Neal, who survives.
Mr. Neal is survived by his wife, Ila; mother, Velma Mae (Wilson) Hicks
of Minneapolis, MN; two daughters, Penny (Edgar) Williams of
Minneapolis, MN, and Santanna Neal of South Bend; stepdaughter,
Antonette Frazier of Evansville, IN; three stepsons, David (Wendy)
Chapman, Darrell (Beverly) Chapman and Darrin (Melissa) Chapman, all of
South Bend, IN. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren; six sisters,
Velma Brown of St. Louis, MO, Sandy Heflin, Jewell Gelbert and Yvonne
Shimles, all of Minneapolis, MN, Gloria Heflin and Christine Hicks, both
of South Bend, IN; a brother, Jackie Neal of St. Louis, MO; and by his
best friend, Phil Flora of Bremen, IN. Mr. Neal was self-employed as a
chef and bartender for many years. He volunteered at the Little Flower
Catholic Church's food pantry. He loved to fish, play golf and pool. Mr.
Neal was an avid Notre Dame and Nebraska football fan. He loved his wife
and his family very much, and will be deeply missed. Funeral services
will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008, in the Palmer
Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St., South Bend, IN.
Friends may visit with the family from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan.
16, 2008, in the funeral home. Contributions may be made to Little
Flower Catholic Church, 54191 N. Ironwood, South Bend, IN; or to the
Kidney Dialysis Center, Edison Lakes Medical Center, 250 E. Day Road,
Suite 300, Mishawaka, IN 46545.
Published in the South Bend Tribune on 1/15/2008.