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Dick passed away Thursday morning following a courageous
battle for his life. He is the son of Donald and Gladys (Hatch) Neal
in Kalamazoo. Dick served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.
He had been a lifelong resident of Portage and was a police officer with the
Portage Police Department for twenty years. He was a member of the Kalamazoo
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge and the Portage Police Officers Association.
On September 12, 1978, he was united in marriage to Debra R. (Casey-Wagner)
Neal in Portage who survives. Also surviving are son, Michael, of Oshtemo;
a sister, Donna Koning of Climax; two cousins, Carol (Neal..class of 1959)Lohman,
of Vicksburg and Thom Neal of Okeechobee, FL; an uncle, Carl Neal of Florida;
his in-laws, Raymond and Ann Wagner of Portage; and two grandmothers, Esther
Finkbeiner of Otsego and Nadine Walters of Bronson. In accordance with
the family's wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial
service was held with Pastor Ralph Morrison officiating. In lieu of
flowers, memorials were made to the Michigan Lupus Foundation and the Kalamazoo
Nature Center Animal Rehab Program. |