Obituary of Esther Peck Neal

Esther Peck Neal, 92, Gloversville native and former resident of Peck's Lake died Saturday, December 27 after a brief illness. She was born November 16, 1916 in Gloversville, NY, and was the daughter of A. Wellington Peck and Lotta Rivenburg Peck. She was the widow of Col. Harold Hal T. Neal of Newark, NY dec., her college sweetheart. She is survived by her three children Nancy Neal Yeend of Palo Alto, CA; Dr. Nelson D. Neal of Jackson, TN; and T. Wellington Wells Neal of Baldwinsville, NY; four grandchildren; and two great grandsons. A graduate of Gloversville High School, Esther received her bachelor's degree in Education from Syracuse University in 1939. Following graduation she was a librarian at the Gloversville Public Library. In later years, she sold real estate while living in Rochester, NY and was a frequently sought after substitute teacher while living in Endwell, NY. She and Hal enjoyed a lifetime of travel in the U.S. and abroad. Following retirement, Esther and Hal returned to Peck's Lake, where she was a regular contributor to the Peck Lake Association's newsletter, Country Living on the topics of natural history and conservation. She was a past president and board member of the Getman Memorial Home. She began painting in the late 1960s, continuing until age 90, concentrating on familiar upstate New York landscapes and old farm buildings. Esther will be fondly remembered for her laughter, infectious sense of humor, compassion, and natural ability as a role model. She was an avid bird enthusiast, dog lover, naturalist, writer and raconteur who loved to share stories with friends and laugh about life's simple pleasures and surprises. Calling hours are Monday, December 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont Street, Gloversville. Services are Tuesday, December 30 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, with burial to follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Audubon Society, 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10014 or online at www.audubon.org, or to the Syracuse Home Association Foundation, Inc., 7740 Meigs Road, Baldwinsville, NY 13027.