Cynthia Neal

Cynthia L. “Cindy” Neal, 69, of Gas City was greeted at the gates of Heaven Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, at 5:40 p.m. in her home surrounded by her loving family. She was a true and faithful servant to the Lord up until her very last breath during her short but hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born Dec. 27, 1954, in Hartford City to Homer E. Hensley and Nellie Francis (Morris) Hensley Sheward.
She attended Pennville High School from 1968 to 1970 and then graduated from Martin County High School in Stuart, Florida in 1973. She had also attended Indiana State University for real estate. She was married Jan. 13, 1976, to Shelby Neal, and together had recently celebrated 48 years of marriage.
She worked many jobs over the years including at the Port Orange Family Chiropractic Office, the appraiser’s office for the city of Alice Texas, Bill Reddit Ford in Stuart, Florida, Mr. Dunderbak’s in Daytona, Florida, Smith Brothers Furniture in Berne and the Bentonville, Arkansas emergency room.
She made friends everywhere she went, and she enjoyed sitting on the beach, dancing, bowling, getting together for dinner with friends and family, playing cards and watching Little League baseball games and high school basketball games. She loved driving fast on the open road, fishing, going to concerts and county fairs and back in the day going to drive-in movies. Through her faith, she most enjoyed doing kind things for others for those who didn’t expect it but appreciated it, and never asked for anything in return. She especially loved sending out birthday cards to family and friends and cards of encouragement to anyone she thought might need it. She was always thinking about others before herself.
After moving to Gas City to be near family, she joined the Gas City Moose Lodge #1778, where she made lots of new friends and was able to enjoy many fun times opening pull tab tickets and playing shuffleboard and bowling with family and friends. She was also a dedicated member of New Hope Baptist Church in Gas City and gained many special friends through her membership there. She was loved by so many and will be deeply missed by her family.
She is survived by her husband, Shelby Neal of Anderson; two daughters, Darby Neal of S. Daytona, Florida; and Arlana “Brooke” Haines of Fort Wayne; three brothers, Greg (Brenda) Hensley of Gas City; Gerry Hensley of North Carolina; and Roger Sheward of Alabama; sister, Monica Justice of Geneva; three grandchildren, Audreahna Haines; Camille Haines; and Noah Haines; special aunts, Shirley Cox; and Margaret (Bob) Lewis; two sisters-in-law, Shirley (the late Coy) Ellis; and Betty (Tom) Swoveland; her special friends, Crystal McGuinn; Debbie Robidoux; and Debbie Fugate-Clawson; several cousins, nieces, nephews; and many other friends too numerous to mention.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Teresa Teeple in 2022; and brother-in-law, AR (Carol) Neal.
The family would sincerely like to extend a special thank you to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, Indiana, and Heart to Heart Hospice for their compassionate care shown to Cindy and to our family during Cindy’s illness. We are humbled and so appreciative for all the calls, text messages, and posts on Facebook keeping Cindy and our family close in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Her wishes were to be cremated with no funeral services. A celebration of life and funeral dinner will be held Saturday, Feb. 24 from 4-6 p.m. at the Gas City Moose Lodge, 817 E. Main St., Gas City to celebrate her life with friends and family.
Memorials may be made to Cancer Services of Grant County, 305 S. Norton St., Marion, IN 46952.
Arrangements provided by Raven Choate Robinson Funeral Home, 1202 W. Kem Road, Marion. Online condolences and memories for the family may be shared at www.ravenchoate.com.