Mary Yunette Neal

Obituary For Mary Yunette Neal

Mary Yunette Neal, 71, of Richmond, passed away July 12, 2022. Mary was born to Cornelious and Odessa Jones Mooring on March 27, 1951 in Tarboro, North Carolina. Raised in Tarboro, Newport News and Washington, DC, Mary obtained both her Bachelor's and master's degrees from The Catholic University of America, in DC where she would become the Associate Director of Financial Aid.

On May 20, 1972, Mary wed the love of her life, Dr. Leon D. Neal. Their only child, Courtney Yunette Neal was born seven years later in January 1979. After moving to Richmond, Mary became Director of Financial Aid, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.in 1983 until her retirement in December 2019, serving in her position for 36 years. Her passion for helping high school and college students achieve their goals was evident in and outside of her career.

Religion was the cornerstone of her life with St. Peter Baptist Church becoming her church home in the early 1980s. Mary was very active and well known with the St. Peter family, participating in numerous groups throughout her life, including: serving as Chairperson of the Royal Usher Board as well as serving as the Chairperson of the Scholarship Ministry where she conducted college financial aid seminars at churches and local high school. She was also active in weekly bible study and the Health Ministry. Mary served on both the Women's Ministry Planning Council and Royal Usher Board for over 30 years.

A lifelong philanthropist, Mary shared her passion for the power of higher education within the greater Richmond community. Mary was a long-time member of the Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators where she served as President in 1989-1990. In addition, she was appointed by then-Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder to the Virginia Education Loan Authority Board of Directors in 1991-1995 and again by the following Governor George Allen in 1995-1999. In her later years, she became involved with the GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRasp), a college-access organization that assists students and families in obtaining funding for post-secondary education, serving as a board member.

Mary enjoyed time with both her immediate and extended family, very rarely missing a summer or Christmas reunion. She shared her smile and laugh at Thanksgiving dinners, graduations, weddings and especially at church. If she wasn't reading, Mary could be found getting her nails done with her daughter, enjoying lunch with her granddaughter or line dancing with her church family. A lover of the arts, Mary enjoyed spending time at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Cultural Arts Center of Glen Allen and the Lewis Botanical Garden. As an avid reader, Mary collected hundreds of books, which she shared with families and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Cornelious Mooring and Odessa Jones Mooring; siblings, Gloria Mooring, John Carl Mooring and Donald Mooring.

Surviving are her husband, Dr. Leon Neal; daughter, Courtney Neal-Stewart (Marlon); granddaughter, Erika Neal; siblings, Clifton Mooring (Ruby), Veronica Johnson, Edward Ray Mooring, Sr. (Karen), Jerry Mooring, and Melvin Mooring, Sr.; several aunts, uncles; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Remains rest at Scott's Funeral Home, 115 E. Brookland Park Blvd. Viewing will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Saturday, July 23 at St. Peter Baptist Church, 2040 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060, followed by funeral services at 11 a.m. Dr. Kirkland R. Walton officiating. Interment Roselawn Memory Gardens. The service will be live streamed at 11:00 am on the St. Peter Baptist Church website, YouTube channel and Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Mary's name to the GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRasp), The American Cancer Society, or your local public library. Repast immediately following the interment at Randolph-Macon College.