Martha Lea Neal

Martha L. Neal was laid to rest at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, at the age of 88. In May of this year, her, and her husband Harold Neal, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Her husband was a Pastor and in 1971 he became the Pastor of the Rio Hondo Baptist Church on Paramount Blvd. in Downey, near the High School.

Martha and Harold worked hard in the work of the Ministry, including starting 4 brand new Churches in Illinois, before coming to California. The highlight in Martha’s Ministry came this past month as she would lead the music at her own “Celebration of Life” Service, at the First Baptist Church of Santa Fe Springs, following her death. She had prepared for the service ahead of time, and it was quite a thrill to hear her sing “Blessed Assurance,” and to know she was there with the Lord, as we sang.

Martha had been quite active with her husband here in Southern California, beginning with the Church in Manhattan Beach in 1965, to the Santa Fe Springs Church in 2000. In 2003, Martha would assist her husband, and they started a weekly Bible Class in their home, which would last for more than 17 years, and then the Virus came. But the Virus was not going to stop it, so the class was moved to Facebook, and continues after 2 ½ years. You could always hear Martha as she would yell “WE LOVE YOU,” at the Facebook folks. And then she was blessed as she got a note from a Facebook listener, a Pastor in India who said “I am Praying for you.”

Martha’s HUGE personal collection of things will go on sale at the Church on Friday & Saturday after Thanksgiving. The address is 10300 Orr and Day Rd., Santa Fe Springs, CA., and is located just North of the High School.