Love's Twilight

When they met over 50 years ago, they knew they weren't the "perfect couple" but together they were quintessential. They managed to coalesce a blended family so smoothly that most people never knew it wasn't a "traditional" family.   Neal, as she affectionately called him, had two growing young sons, Edward and Danny.   She opened her heart to them and they to her, so much so that they would eventually and affectionately call her  "Mom".  No, it wasn't because they didn't have a mother or that their mother wasn't the most amazing woman who could have raised them.  It was because they felt such a love from Dolores that it just felt right.  Neal would embrace the fact that she had six children - a daughter, Debbie, and five sons: Warren, Mark, Mike, Chuckie and Tony, whom he, without hesitation, accepted and courageously took on the role of a father figure.  It's not easy for young boys to gravitate to another man who loves their mother, but Ed was different.  He had such a sincere, kind heart and gentle spirit, no one could deny his genuine love for not only his wife, but her children.  Soon they shared three children: DeeDee, and the twins Missy and Man.

They made their home at 2466 Mercury Drive.  Often working three jobs each, they labored to ensure their family had what they needed and sometimes what they wanted.   But as hard as they worked, they also had a propensity to play hard.  Hosting gatherings in their self-constructed basement turned entertainment Mecca appropriately called "The Cave".  Annual Christmas parties, birthday parties, card parties, flood parties, and "just because" parties were historic and unforgettable.  These gatherings were filled with love, laughter and excitement!  Signature moves like Ed's head tilt to the left quickly followed by his body falling off of the bar stool, or Aunt Ruth's notable drunkin' dance, Aunt Danny's continuous cigarette smoke and Mom and Mike's classic two-step, were the things that kept people coming back!  Friends often brought their children, who knew to stay upstairs and in a child's place, until summoned downstairs to perform as if we were The Jackson's or The Sylver's.   Ed would often sneak upstairs to check on the kids and even sometimes give them a dose of slightly spiked Egg Nog - not really, but at least that's what the kids thought to make them feel a part of the party!  Summertime brought endless cookouts with family, neighbors, college friends, and sometimes even complete strangers would be so enticed to join (Mike J).  Volleyball, one-leg sack races, and ENDLESS card games were just some of the fun activities that took place in the grand backyard.  The house was actually pretty small but it was constantly filled with people and a huge amount of love, which made it seem like a mansion.  The laughter and excitement that took place at 2466 Mercury Drive was endless.   It was a house that attracted neighborhood kids but if you entered you wouldn't think that was the case.  Dolores Elizabeth Neal, if nothing else, was what we know now to be O-C-D!!!  She was a fanatic about a clean house and she believed she had every single one of her children for the purposes of cleaning.  She bought living room furniture every few years.  From the red and black set that resembled a toreador bull fighting outfit, or the green velvet pit, or the white sectional that caused Dolores to threaten more than a few to "NOT SIT ON HER SOFA".  If you happened to be a friend that came over on a Saturday afternoon, you would find yourself wiping down walls, sweeping floors or moving furniture.

Ed was a gentle soul.  He did not meet a stranger.  He loved doing yard work, cooking and took tremendous joy in baking cakes and pies for family and friends.  He was a man of few words but somehow there were things that went without saying: He absolutely adored his wife, Dolores He was loyal to anyone he called family, friend or neighbor He loved music He loved to dance He was very neat and always kept fresh gear and a fresh cut! He worked a lot but he found fun, simple ways to make special memories with his children including picking up Dolores for work or Sunday trips to the dump followed by ice cream at United Dairy Farmers. He loved Cincinnati Zoo and took pleasure in taking his grandchildren

Not many people can say they ever witnessed him angry, mainly because it happened very seldom.  Dolores was the one person in this world who he loved the most and was the one who knew how to push his buttons, but she always knew when to say when.  They had a rhythm like that.  She was the Ying to his Yang.

Let's face it.  Dolores Elizabeth Neal was a force to be reckoned with.  She was as protective of her children as a lioness with her cubs.  She had a quick mind and quick wit that made her a joy to be around.  Well, lest it be said that she could also use that quick wit and mind to land some of the sharpest blows one could imagine, but nothing could undermine the large heart and empathy that she had.   Her favorite holiday was undoubtedly Christmas and if you crossed her path in any way, more than likely she had a Christmas gift for you.  She took great pleasure with filling her living room with presents that would overflow beyond the reach of any tree skirt.  She absolutely LOVED playing cards whether it be Bid Whiz, Spades, or Tunk, her laughter illuminated a room with joy as she slammed down her books!  She never drove a car a day in her life yet she went wherever, whenever she wanted to go!  She loved being on the go to shop and once that became difficult for her she would whip out her credit card and spend hours shopping for Christmas or birthday presents on Home Shopping or QVC networks.   As stated earlier, she was a freak of nature when it came to keeping a clean house.  She instilled this in each of her children, especially the boys.

From the outside looking in, it may appear that Ed and Dolores were an odd couple but that couldn't be furthest from the truth when it came down to what really matters:

Love for God Love for each other Family Friends

Ed and Dolores spent most of their time together.  They really liked the simple things in life such as spending hours at the grocery store.  They didn't frequent the church house in person often but Sunday morning worship for them consisted of watching TD Jakes or Joel Olsteen.  They loved visiting friends and family on Saturdays and for over two decades would take their annual vacation to their favorite spot, Las Vegas.

They both had huge and generous hearts and would often open their home up to family and friends in need, even though they had five or six mouths to feed of their own.  They both believed in hard work and lived by the mantra - "I am my brothers keeper".  They fed the neighborhood, their children's college friends, and gave of themselves and what they had if it meant getting someone else on a better path.  The garnered the respect of all that knew them.

As their lives began to enter the stage of eternal rest, most would expect the love to become ambiguous and decline as Dementia settled in, but their hearts would not allow their minds to crest over what was designed by God.  Some of the last words Ed spoke when he saw Dolores after her extended stay at the hospital was, "There is my best friend.  Hi Lois!"  And as he lay in the bed next to her upon surrendering his body to this side, she asked, "Did your father eat?  Is he still breathing?"  Until the very end, they were looking out for one another as they did for over 55 years.

Let's face it, we've heard a million love stories throughout our lifetime:  Romeo and Juliette, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony, one of Dolores' favorite: Bud and Deanie from Splendor in the Grass; and Ed's favorite George and Weezie from The Jeffersons.    But in most cases, real life love stories aren't over the top and dramatic.  They are simple, essentially because love only requires for you to do one thing - CHOOSE.

On February 14, 1962, Edward and Dolores Neal chose each other.  They chose to respect one another, serve one another, forgive one another and more importantly, care for one another.  They chose to stay together, not til' death do them part, but until death took them to the one place where they could truly love each other for an eternity.  Many things made Edward and Dolores special.  In many ways as different as the sun and the moon yet as connected as the sun is to the day and the moon to night.   August 2018 will forever be a time when we look to the sky and see the soft glow of light from the sun's ray just below the horizon and remember the twilight that will forever illuminate in memory for Edward and Dolores' eternal love for one another.

Visitation is from 11:00 am until noon, on  Saturday, September 1, 2018, at the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 40 Coral Avenue, Glendale  (45246).   The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation beginning at 12 noon.

Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery, 11200 Princeton Pike, Springdale, Ohio 45246.

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Walker Funeral Home, 1025 E. McMillan Street, Cincinnati (45206)  is serving the  Neal family.  Please call (513) 251-6200 or visit www.WalkerFuneralHome.com for additional information.