WILLIE ETHEL MCNEAL

On December 30, 2023, Willie E. McNeal got her wings and went to walk with the angels after she passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 79. She will be greatly missed by her loving family, close friends and her faith community at Forest Grove Baptist Church. Willie was born on August 25, 1944 to the late Rev. Morris Leapheart, Sr. and Willie Anderson. She spent her childhood in Plumberville and Morrilton Arkansas where she first professed her belief in Christ at an early age. After completing high school, she join her father in Kansas City, Kansas where she would later meet her loving husband, and lifelong companion, Jerry McNeal. Willie and her husband were married on October 3, 1964 and celebrated 59 years of marriage before her passing. She is survived by her husband,  two children, Dr. Rodney E. McNeal and Rhonda S. Jones, her two grandchildren, Jerry McNeal and Reginald Kelly, and her great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, Morris Leapheart, Jr., Hershel Leapheart, Ronald Leapheart, Donald Leapheart, Luther Anderson, Aaron Anderson, and her sisters, Jo Anna Newman, Tillie Kile, and Armedia Anderson. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brothers, Eddie Leapheart, Robert E. Anderson, Captain Serschel D. Leapheart, and her sister, Blanchie Thompson.

A visitation and remembrance service will be held at Forest Grove Baptist Church located at 1417 N 9th St, Kansas City, KS  on Saturday, January 13, 2024. The visitation will begin at 9AM and conclude at 10AM. The funeral will begin thereafter and will be followed by interment at Forest Hill & Calvary Cemetery - 6901 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO. No flowers by request. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that you make a donation to the Jerry and Willie McNeal Student Award in Clinical Child Psychology through the Kansas University Endowment at 800-444-4201.

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