Fred Leland Neal, 73

DOVER - Fred Leland Neal of Dover passed away Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007, in Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore. He was 73.

Fred was born on Nov. 28, 1933, in Winnsboro, S.C., son of the late Fred and Annie (Tisdale) Neal.

He was a member of the Young American Bowling Alliance-Collegiate Division, Eastern Pennsylvania and Maryland Intercollegiate Bowling Conference, American Bowling Conference, Delaware Association of College Unions, International, Region III, Delaware State University Boosters Club, and the 70 plus Ski Club at Solitude Resort in Utah.

Fred retired from Delaware State University on July 1, 1996, where he worked for 25 years as recreation manager of the game room. He was employed with Brunswick Bowling Corp. for eight years, starting as an assistant mechanic and working his way up to district mechanic for New England States and New Brunswick, Canada.

In 1950, Fred graduated with the first graduating class of Mission High School, San Gabriel, Calif. He took many classes in the military services. He received a highest level III certificate from Dick Ritger's Academy for Coaches, Ithaca, N.Y., in August 1991.

In 1939 he moved from South Carolina to Southern California, where he lived until he joined the Navy at age 16. He worked in the engine department, and served in the Korean War, where he pulled Marines off the beach at Inchon, and had three round-the-world cruises. He had other cruises in the Caribbean and the Arctic. He boxed with the Sixth Fleet, winning and holding that championship for two years.

He later joined the Army National Guard, serving as a tank corps mechanic for two years in Massachusetts. During that time, Fred served as a secret courier for Massachusetts Insatiate of Technology in Lincoln, and played semi-pro ice hockey in the position of goalie.

He later joined the Air Force, where he was a jet mechanic. He served in the United States, while at the same time playing pro-ice hockey for the Sault Ste. Marie Indians. He also served in Europe, where he played semi-pro football for Hahn Air Force Base in Germany. After honorable discharge from the Air Force on Oct. 31, 1960, Fred played semi-pro football with the Providence Steam Rollers, which was a farm team for the Boston Patriots.

Fred loved to ski and did so for more than 40 days each spring in Utah from 1999 through winter 2006. He started to ski when he retired and advanced to the level of Intermediate skier. He enjoyed bowling, hunting and fishing, the Buckley Reunion, family gatherings, photography, wildlife and bird watching, working in a vegetable or flower garden, gourmet cooking, sports, exercising, traveling and helping his neighbors and friends. Any errand took him longer because he met so many people he knew.

Fred was a deeply religious man and asked to be baptized in a Catholic church at age 10. He was a very good person. He was happy, intelligent and funny.

He is survived by his wife, Marion Jean Buckley Whiting Neal; his children, Michael Joseph Neal of California, Stephen Thomas Neal of Massachusetts, Lisa Ann Neal Fletcher of Massachusetts and Susan Marie Neal Moralez of New Hampshire; his stepchildren, Lynne Ann Whiting Widdison of Utah and John Roger Whiting of Delaware; his siblings, Mary Ann Neal Benner of Maryland, Nora Almeta Neal Southern of California, Lowell Hudson Neal of Oregon, Margaret Frances Malone Kaiser of California and Antionette Caroline Malone Parsons of California; 17 nieces and nephews; 11 grandchildren; and a host of friends wherever he went.

Friends may call from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Trader Funeral Home, Dover.

Mass of Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in Holy Cross Catholic Church, Dover.

Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.