Mary Elizabeth Neal, 86, of Mt. Vernon, passed away at 12:44 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon.

She was born in Burnt Prairie on Friday, April 7, 1922, a daughter of Ezekiel Harry and Camille Marie (Johnston) Vaught.

She married Dr. E. Earl Neal on June 27, 1945, in Long Beach, Calif., and he preceded her in death on Dec. 20, 1989.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon with the Rev. Ryan Burge officiating. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Mary is survived by a daughter, Ellen Marie Ferguson and husband David of Mt. Vernon; four sons, Dr. George Earl Neal and wife Barbara of Mt. Vernon, Dr. Charles Eugene Neal of Springfield, Richard Lee Neal and Sylvia Clower of Baton Rouge, La., and Thomas Michael “Tom” Neal of Springfield; four grandsons, Paul David Ferguson and wife Angela, Benjamin Andrew Ferguson and fiancé Andrea Micholag, Michael Wesley Neal of Mt. Vernon and Maxwell Thomas Neal of Springfield; a granddaughter, Kelly Elizabeth Neal of Springfield; and several nieces and nephews.

Her parents; her husband; one brother, Harry Vaught; and one sister, Pris Sanders, preceded her in death.

Mary was a homemaker and briefly taught high school early in life. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon and the American Baptist Women’s Ministries of the church, the Hazel Morris Circle, the National Panhellenic Conference and was a volunteer tutor for Project Excel at Lincoln School. She was deeply devoted to helping any way she could with children’s organizations such as Toys for Tots and the Girl Scouts Little House program. An important facet in her social life was her participation in various bridge clubs; she enjoyed cooking, baking and collecting seashells while vacationing in Florida.

For those who wish, memorials may be given to the First Baptist Church and will be accepted at the funeral home, or from the online obituary at www.hugheyfuneralhome1969.com, or mailed to Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864.Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Hughey Funeral Home where you may call 242-3348 or visit www.hugheyfuneralhome1969.com for further information and to send condolences.

Source: Mt. Vernon Register News
Date: February 18-20, 2009