Obituary For J. Neal Vestal



J. Neal Vestal, 82, of Eden, NC passed away at his home on Saturday, June 11, 2011. Funeral service will be held 11:00 AM, Tuesday, June 14 at The First Church of the Brethren, Eden, NC with Rev. Rick Edwards officiating. Interment will follow at Overlook Cemetery. Neal was born on May 2, 1929 in Spray (now Eden) NC to the late Vernard Neal Vestal and Bessie Vestal Fargis. After graduating from Leaksville High School in 1948, he married his high school sweetheart, Alma Meeks Vestal, in 1949. Mr. Vestal was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force following faithful service to his country during the Korean War. He then earned an Associate‚Äö?Ñ??s Degree in Building Construction from Southern Polytechnic State University (formerly Southern Technical Institute) in Georgia. After graduation, Neal and Alma moved to Greensboro, NC where he lived for 45 years working in the building construction business until his retirement. He returned to his hometown of Eden, NC in 1999. Neal was a member of The First Church of the Brethren in Eden, NC and a former member of the Greensboro Lions Club. He is survived by his wife, Alma of the home; son, James N. Vestal, Jr. of Raleigh, NC; son, Jeffrey V. Vestal (wife, Shirley) of Greensboro, NC; daughter, Elizabeth V. McGalliard (husband, Robert) of Jamestown, NC; six grandchildren, Clare and Hannah Vestal of Raleigh, NC; Jacob Vestal of Durham, NC; Elizabeth Vestal of Greensboro, NC; Aaron and Shelby McGalliard of Jamestown, NC; sister, Geneva Moore of Aiken, SC; numerous nieces and nephews and honorary ‚Äö?Ñ?ªgranddaughter‚Äö?Ñ‚àû Ellen Hudgins of Eden, NC. In addition to his parents, Mr. Vestal was preceded in death by his sister, Garneda Bennett and step-father, William Fargis. The family will receive friends 6:00 until 8:00 PM on Monday, June 13 at Fair Funeral Home, Eden, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Home and Family Life Committee c/o The First Church of the Brethren, 730 Church Street, Eden, NC 27288. Online condolences may be made to the family at fairfuneralhome.com