DOWNEY – Pastor Harold and Martha Neal will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on May 4. 

Harold was pastor of the Rio Hondo Baptist Church on Paramount Boulevard in Downey beginning in 1971. They have lived in Downey for more than 50 years, where they raised their four sons. Their greatest loss came in 1975 when their 16-year-old son drowned in a swimming accident. 

If you ask them about the changes they have seen here in Downey over those 50 years, they will mention that they paid $29,000 for their 3-bedroom home in 1971, and now they can get infinitely more for it, but they aren’t planning to move soon. 

Harold retired from the pastoral ministry in 2000 but continued hosting weekly bible classes at his home for 17 years. When the pandemic came, the class was moved to Facebook, where it continues each week. 

The couple will celebrate their anniversary May 1 at 2:30 pm at the Santa Fe Springs First Baptist Church. They are expecting a call at that time from Pastor Clifford Belcher of Kansas, who performed their wedding ceremony.