Remembering Mr. Albert Lee Neville

(Holley Gazette, May, 1997)

In 1963, a gentleman with a soft-southern accent, accompanied by his family, moved into our community and soon found their way into our church and our lives. Albert Lee Neville, “Al,” had accepted a teaching position in the business department at the local high school. November 3, 1963 Al, Justine, his wife, Judy Wade, a married daughter whose husband Joe was in the service, and Paul joined our church.

An active member, Al soon involved himself in the work of the church and was elected to the board of deacons. Probably the following year, 1964, he became chairman of the board. I have a picture of Al standing in our gutted church building watching the installation of the new steel beams that support our sanctuary floor. For three years Al and I taught only a couple doors apart in the old high school building. In 1966, all too soon, Al accepted a position teaching business courses at WeMoCo in Medina. Our loss – their gain. October, 1966, they were given a letter of transfer from our church to the Grace Baptist Church in Medina, where Al also served on the deacon board. Ginny reminded me that Justine came over to our house at 4:00 AM to stay with Debbie and Berth when Mary was born. And Judy helped us out with the baby-sitting from time to time.

You may have noticed the obituary for Al Neville in the Tri-County for December 8, 1997. He was born March 27, 1911, and grew up in Lost Creek, W.V. where he graduated from high school. He received his teaching degree from Marshall College in Huntington, W.V. It was here he met his wife Justine.

Al had not been converted to Christ when they met but through her witness he became a Christian. They were married March 27, 1937, and faithfully served the Lord together for over sixty years. Judy writes “Albert’s whole family were good moral people but none of them knew Christ as savior except him.”

Al taught high school and became a Junior high principal in Hurricane, W.V. He then worked for a time as principal in another school and in August, 1963, they moved to Holley. After thirty-five years in public school education, he retired but was soon offered a principal’s position at Souls for Christ Christian School in Huntington, W.V. He and Justine moved there in 1978 and continued serving the Lord in this church until January, 1997, when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He and Justine moved back to Brockport to live with their daughter Judy and Joe so the children and grandchildren could help care for him.

Albert died November 22, 1997, after a couple of mini-strokes. He and Justine had four children. One son died of cancer in 1981. They have twelve grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. “The memory of the just is blessed.”