HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 25
(By Delegates Campbell and Canterbury)
[Introduced and Adopted April 3, 2001]
Commemorating the passing of Sarah Lee Neal, wife, mother,
businesswoman, philanthropist and Stateswoman.
Whereas, Sarah Lee Neal was born February 24th, 1924, in
Kanawha County, West Virginia, the daughter of Joseph Ruffner and
Frankie B. Kelley Parcell; and
Whereas, Sarah Lee Neal was educated in the public schools and
became a real estate broker with insurance, real estate and broker
training courses. Continuously busy and active, she was a member of
the Rainelle United Methodist Church, the Greenbrier County youth
Camp Board, the Rainelle Garden Club, Rainelle Woman's Club, Alpha
Kappa Gamma, Lewisburg Chapter 108, Order of the Eastern Star,
Mother Advisor of the Order of Rainbow Girls, Lewisburg Business
and Professional Women's Club, Greenbrier Historical Society and
served as a director of the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Foundation,
Inc. She was owner and broker for Sarah Lee Neal Real Estate. She
was the recipient of the West Virginia Wildlife Federation, 1973-
1976, listed in Who's Who in American Government, Who's Who in
American Politics, appointed to the Kellogg Foundation, Rural
Health Education Partnership, Governor's Advisory Panels, Rainelle Medical Center Board Directors, a member of the Greenbrier County
Democratic Executive Committee and Greenbrier County Democratic
Women's Club. She was named "Tree Farmer of the Year" by Westvaco
Corp. and served as treasurer of the Green Valley Hunt Club. And,
she was a staunch supporter of the West Virginia School of
Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg; and
Whereas, Sarah Lee Neal married Clifton P. Neal, Sr., who
preceded her in death, and they were the proud parents of three
children, Clifton P. Neal, Jr., C. Patrick Neal and Cynthia Parcell
Neal, six grandchildren and a great grandchild; and
Whereas, Sarah Lee Neal was elected to the West Virginia House
of Delegates where she served eight terms representing Greenbrier
County from 1973 to 1989. She was the chairwoman of the Agriculture
Committee and was a member of the Natural Resources, Finance,
Forest Management and Interstate Cooperation Committees. She was
appointed as a United States Silver Haired Senator to serve in the
National Silver Haired Congress by Senator Jay Rockefeller, where
she served as chairwoman of the Social Security and Civil/Criminal
Committees; and
Whereas, Sarah Lee Neal gave unselfishly of herself to her
country, state, county and community and in so doing, left this
world a better place than it was when she entered it; and
Whereas, The death of Sarah Lee Neal on May 15, 2000, at the
age of seventy-six, should not go unnoticed; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That regret is hereby expressed by the members at the passing
of Sarah Lee Neal, businesswoman, philanthropist and Stateswoman;
a woman who loved her country, but above all she loved West
Virginia and her fellow human beings; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is hereby
requested to prepare copies of this resolution for her sons,
Clifton Perry Neal and Carlton Patrick Neal, for her daughter,
Cynthia Parcell Neal, for her grandchildren and great grandson.