Thursday, January 28, 2021

TB Takes Miss Jo Neal, 24, After Six Years of Illness, Jan. 28, 1921

Miss Jo Neal, after a long illness, died about 12 o’clock Tuesday night, a victim to the great white plague and pneumonia. She would have been 25 years of age in July.

The funeral services were conducted Thursday afternoon at the Neal residence on Morris street by Rev. C.C. Weaver, assisted by Rev. John A. Wray. The pall bearers were: Active, Messrs. Allen Lee, Robert Laney, Joe Hudson, Amos Stack, Frank Redfearn, Robert Lee, H.H. Wilson and V.D. Sikes; honorary, Messrs. G.B. Caldwell, G.M. Beasley, J.F. Williams, Fred Hunley, A.M. Stack, J.C. Sikes, S.O. Blair and W.J. Rudge. A great number of lovely designs attested to the unusual popularity of the beautiful and sweet-spirited young woman.

The deceased is survived by her father, Dr. J.W. Neal, her step-mother, one sister, Mrs. W.C. Sanders, and the following brothers, Mr. Horace Neal of Monore, Dr. Kemp and Dr. Paul Neal of Raleigh.

Just six years ago this month, while a student at Meredith College in Raleigh, Miss Neal was stricken with typhoid-pneumonia. While still in a weakened condition she contracted tuberculosis. Then began her fight, against great odds, to vanquish that disease which is mankind’s greatest scourge, having taken a greater toll on human lives than all the wars of the world combined. Everything possible was done for her. She was put under the care of great specialists, and for several years lived in western Carolina, in the hope that the mountain air would be of benefit to her. While there she made many friends, her happy disposition and bright intellect dispensing cheer to all those about her. As one of her sanatorium friends has said, “Jo was the joy and sunshine of our large family.” She appeared to get better until the spring of 1919 when she contracted influenza and suffered a relapse. Returning home more than a year ago, she seemed to be improving until Sunday about 2 p.m. when pneumonia developed. She grew gradually worse, the end coming about 12 o’clock Tuesday night.

(From The Monroe Journal, Friday, Jan. 28, 1921)

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