Cecil Adrian Neal, 85, of Pine Knot, KY, died peacefully on April 30, 2014, at Venetian Gardens Nursing Home in Goshen, Ohio, where he had been a resident for the last 4 months.
He was born in Detroit, MI on April 27, 1929 to Charles Tilden Neal and Louisa (Lou) Hamlin Neal. His father died shortly after Cecil’s birth, and his mother returned with her son to the Bethel community in McCreary County. She later married Green Barnett who helped to raise Cecil. He attended Gilreath School and Pine Knot High School.
The freedom of the open road led him to become an over-the-road truck driver in 1950, leasing his trucks first to Dixie Transport, hauling automobiles. In 1956 he began hauling dry freight for Ohio Southern Express out of Atlanta, GA. In 1970 he began hauling fresh produce and frozen fish throughout the eastern half of the United States, and retired in 1988 from Ranger, a Division of Ryder, where he had amassed over 1 million accident-free miles. He was proud of his status as an independent owner-operator and worked hard to improve the image of over-the-road truck drivers.
After retirement he took up gardening and golf. For many years, he and his golfing buddies enjoyed traveling to various courses throughout the southeast for as long as they were living and able to play. He loved the game, and after a match could recount, in exacting detail, how each hole was played by both him and his opponents. Not one to boast, a guest would learn about his hole-in-one at Stearns golf course only by seeing the certificate on his living room wall.
For more than 50 years he was a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in the Oleika Temple of Lexington, KY, as well as the Orie S. Ware Lodge No. 874, F. & A.M. where he attained the 33rd degree. He was ordained a Baptist Deacon in 1973.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Wilma (Anderson) of Pine Knot; two sons, Scott (Jennifer) Neal of Lexington, KY and Dan (Linda) Neal of Cincinnati, OH. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Sarah Neal of Columbia, TN; David Scott Neal, Jr. of Lexington, KY; Henry Preston Neal of Cincinnati, OH; and Lauren Louisa Neal of Bon Repos, Haiti.
Funeral Services ere held at Sunday, May 4, 2014 at 2:00 pm at the First Baptist Church in Stearns, Kentucky. Burial followed in the Bethel Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Stearns First Baptist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Mr. Cecil Neal.

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