Name: John Bruce Neal, Sr. Date: October 24th, 1944 - September 15th, 2009 Obituary: John Bruce Neal, age 64 of Hickory, NC and a former resident of Forest City died Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at Hospice of Catawba County. A native of Rutherford County, he was the son of the late Robert Burgin Neal and Josephine Tucker Neal; and was a member of First Baptist Church where he taught Sunday school for many years. Mr. Neal received a BS Degree in Education from Wake Forest University in 1967, and also a Masters Degree in History in 1971. He later received his EdS in Public Administration, and a Masters Degree in Public Education. He was employed by the Rutherford County School System where he served as principal at Oakland Elementary, Carver School and retired as the principal of Dunbar Elementary School in 1995. He served as the former President of The Rutherford County Principals Association; and former member of the Forest City Kiwanis Club. Following his retirement he began a second career as an over the road truck driver for several local trucking companies including Ozark Motor Lines, Houser Trucking and Schneider Trucking. Survivors include his wife, Brenda Reece Neal, of the home; two sons, John Neal, and wife Karen and their children Alexandra, Emma, and Anna of Forest City, and Robert Burgin Neal, and wife Cheryl, and their son, Burgin of Fort Myers, FL; a daughter, Elizabeth Neal Danner and husband Craig, and their daughter Josephine of Greensboro; a sister, Margaret Ann Hamrick and husband Dr. John Hamrick of Shelby;, several nieces and nephews and special friends, Tim and Connie Starnes of Hickory, and Lois Huskey of Forest City. Funeral services will be held Two o’clock Friday, September 18, 2009 in the First Baptist Church, Forest City with Dr. Barry Keys officiating. Interment will follow in the Cool Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be from six until eight o’clock Thursday at The Padgett and King Mortuary. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658. The family will be at the home of a son, John Neal, 241 Elizabeth Avenue, Forest City, NC. The Padgett and King Mortuary is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com. Memorials: Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, North Carolina 28658 Visitations: 6:00PM to 8:00PM on Friday, September 18th, 2009 at The Padgett & King Mortuary (map/driving directions) Services: 2:00PM at First Baptist Church, Forest City on Friday, September 18th, 2009 (map/driving directions) Cemetery: Cool Springs Cemetery Forest City, NC 28043 (map/driving directions)