Jesse Lee Neal

DEXTER - Jesse Lee Neal, 84, died Dec. 23, 2003, at the VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff.

Born June 21, 1919, in Bell City to the late William A. and Clara Lowery Neal, he had lived in Blytheville, Ark., and St. Louis but had spent most of his life in Dexter. Employed with Elder Manufacturing for over 25 years, he worked for the Dexter Schools for seven years and was a member of the Liberty Hill General Baptist Church and the VFW Post in Bloomfield. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army with tours in Australia and New Guinea.

On Oct. 18, 1941, near Bloomfield, he married Mable Payne, who survives of Dexter.

Other survivors include: one son, Jimmy Dale Neal of Maryville, Tenn.; two daughters, Ruth Ann Silvey of Dexter and Vicki Lynne Davison of Poplar Bluff; four sisters, Novella Nelson of Campbell, Omega Lovett of Round Lake, Ill., Bernice Gardner of Essex and Joye Sue Maulding of Festus; and seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one son, Jerry Lee Neal; one sister, Imogene Evans; and two brothers, James R. Neal and William L. Neal.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter where services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday, The Rev. Frank Bain of Dexter will officiate.

The Southeast Missouri Honor Guard of Poplar Bluff will conduct military honors at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.