Happenings With The Neals

Thursday, September 1, 2016

My trip to Tucson, AZ August 18th - 21st

I had the privilege of going to an Appeal To Heaven conference in Arizona. If you wanna know more about the conference just google Appeal To Heaven or Dutch Sheets and you'll be able to read more about it. There were some great men and women of God there that gave some great teaching. It was fun to be there with friends and have that experience. There were some things though that weren't so enjoyable like the desert tarantulas. They were huge. Arizona was nice to visit and I luv'd the dry heat there because you weren't drenched in sweat before you could even get out the door of your home good but I wouldn't want to live there. A great time was had by me and my friends that I went with. I got several really good pics from the plane. I luv scenic pics. Here are the pics I took on the trip:

Just after we got in the air from RDU.

I think this was just before landing in Atlanta, GA,

Lots and lots of desert.

There was lots and lots of these! They grow as tall as 30 feet.

Popsie's 81st Birthday Celebration - August 13th

We were so glad that we got to go up to Kentucky to celebrate Popsie's 81st birthday with him and spend time with him and the family. Here are some pics:

Jump Street - Timmy doing a flip

Jump Street with the Cousins - August 11th

Timmy had lots of fun with his cousins at Jump Street and I got to catch up on some of my reading. Here are some pics:

Durham Bulls Baseball Game - August 6th

We took Timmy and his cousins to the Durham Bulls baseball game. We had dinner at the Mellow Mushroom before the game. They had a great time. Here are some pics:

1st Pre-Test in the Black Belt Testing Cycle - August 5th

Timmy's 1st or 3 pre-tests was on August 5th. The 1st pre-test consisted of him doing all his Poomsaes. He did a great job and passed on the 1st try without having to come back and pay extra to repeat any of them. We are so proud of all he's accomplishing on this TKD journey. Here are some pics of him stretching before the pre-test and some of him during the pre-test exam:

Tim's 2025 Accomplishments!

Tim had a huge year in 2025, moving through three weight classes. He began in the 61 kg division and finished in the 71 kg division, with the June weight category update shifting the weight classes. Despite all the transitions, Tim made tremendous progress. He earned 4 Gold Medals, 4 Silver Medals (6 Silver finishes) & 3 Bronze Medals (4 Bronze finishes) - which were his 1st USA National Level Medals. To top all that off he is the record holder for the snatch & total in the Youth 71kg division for WSO Carolinas. A standout year filled with growth, experience, and momentum for Tim.

Heaven Gained a Hero Aug. 16, 1935 to May 16, 2024 - 88 years old

It's hard to forget someone who gave us so much to remember. Pop (Franklin Eugene Neal) was born in Ashland, KY. He graduated Thomas R. Brown High School and was a proud Army National Guard Veteran. He loved cars and working on them. He loved racing them with his boys, Jeff and Scot. He could fix just about anything. If he didn't have a tool for something then he'd make it. He valued family above everything. He loved traveling and going to amusement parks with his kids and grandkids, especially Disney World. He will forever be missed and forever be in our hearts! (this is not his official Obit)

Doris Jean Stergeon "Nan" Neal

Doris Jean Stergeon Neal, 88, of Ashland, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2025 surrounded by family. Born June 13, 1937, to James B. and Opal McDowell Stergeon, Doris was a 1955 graduate of Thomas R. Brown High School, where she met the love of her life, Franklin Neal, who preceded her in death in 2024. Married for over 70 years, Doris and Frank built a life centered on love and family, raising their three children: Elaine, Jeffrey, and Scot. A devoted member of Faith Christian Assembly, Doris cherished homemaking, gardening, floral arranging, crocheting, and reading. Above all, she was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother—always her family’s biggest cheerleader. She is survived by her 3 children, her 5 grandchildren, and her 5 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her 2 brothers, along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Family Pic 2026

Thursday, September 1, 2016