Valree Neal

FLORENCE — Valree Neal, 89, died on Feb. 12, 2013, in Florence.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church of Florence, with Pastor Vince Smith officiating. Burial will be in Florence Cemetery.
Mrs. Neal was born on Feb. 17, 1923, in Hooks, Texas, the 10th of 13 children of Jack and Mittee Traylor. She married Jeff Neal on Dec. 12, 1939, and they had 14 children. The family lived in De Kalb, Texas, where she was a homemaker and domestic worker, until 1962, when they moved to Florence. She was a nanny for the family of Dr. Bill Clemans for 17 years. She later worked at the Arizona Training Program at Coolidge until retiring. She was a faithful member of Union Baptist Church and later Life Tabernacle, which became Azusa World Ministries, and was proud to serve as mother of the church. The last two years she attended New Destiny Christian Center and faithfully served the Lord.
She was a member of the local women's club and the Red Hat Society. She loved going to her "second home," Dorothy Nolan Senior Center, and was fond of the employees. She was known as the bingo queen and reigning champ of Mexican Train dominoes. She loved playing dominoes and socializing with all her friends. She also loved dressing up for special occasions and going on bus trips. She was very generous and was the mentor and matriarch of her family.
Survivors include a sister, Nannie Mae of De Kalb; 11 sons and daughters, Dorothy Mercer, Billy Joe, Leroy, Curtis, Joe Nathan, David and Margie Ann Neal and Ethel Muldrew, all of of Florence, Rex Neal of Coolidge, Eddie Ray Neal of Tucson and Flora Louis of Glendale; 62 grandchildren; 137 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; two sons, J.T. and Jeff Neal Jr.; and a daughter, Thelether Erwin.
J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud Coolidge Chapel is in charge of arrangements.