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Leslie Neal

Class of 1955

Leslie Neal

Leslie C. Neal (‘55), born September 15, 1936, died September 29, 2008 at the family farm near Bay City, MI.

Leslie graduated from Adelphian Academy in 1955, where he received the Honored Alumnus Award in 2005.

After graduation he continued his education at Emmanuel Missionary College, graduating with a degree in agriculture. He married Juanita Walston on Aug. 4, 1957.

Following graduation from EMC in 1959, he continued studies at the Adventist Theological Seminary.

His 40-year ministry as an ordained pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church began in June, 1961. He began a pastoral internship at the Metropolitan SDA Church in Detroit at that time and spent the next 10 years pastoring in the Detroit area.

On December 31, 1971, Leslie and Juanita with their four children arrived in Phoenix, AZ, where he pastored the Phoenix Central Church for the next five and a half year. During that time he served on the Executive Committees of both the Arizona Conference the Pacific Union Conference.

In June, 1977, Leslie was called to be Youth Director of the Alberta Conference in Canada, a position that had far-reaching effects on his life. Always a lover of youth and the great outdoors, he flew his own plane to invest Pathfinders in far-reaching corners of the province; initiated a horsemanship program at Foothills Camp, which expanded into his leading trail rides in Banff National Park; and organized short-term mission projects with Maranatha International; a passion which continued until his retirement.

Following this Alberta appointment, he pastored the Willowdale Church in Toronto, where he also served on the Branson Hospital Board of Directors and the Ontario Executive Committee.

The Rockwood Church in Portland, OR, 1989-1995, and The Edmonton Central Church in Alberta, 1995-1997, were his last two pastorates.

His final posting was with the British Columbia Conference as Director of Children’s Ministries, Sabbath School, and Stewardship. During this time he was Vice-president of the North American Division Adventist Children Ministries’ Association.

During his forty-year ministry his leadership was characterized by commitment to God, involvement with people, love for children and youth, resourcefulness, and creativity.

These traits that marked his ministry were first and foremost exhibited in his home. He was a great family man and will be greatly missed by his wife Juanita (BME, ’61, Andrews University) and four children: Lenita (Randall) Skoretz, J.D. (MA, ’82, AU), Leslie (Heidi) Neal III (BFA, ’86, AU), Rodney (Kandi) Neal, MBA (BA ’87, AU), and Charla (Mark) Willis, M.D. (BS ’87, AU); nine grandchildren: Katherine and Daniel Skoretz, Leslie IV and Adam Neal, Logan and Lane Neal, and Anna, Adelaide, and Rachel Willis, his mother, Anna Neal; sister Patricia (Bill) Edsell; three nieces and three grand nieces.