Obituary of Betty Sue McNeill

Betty Sue (Smith) McNeill, 88, passed away Saturday, March 15, 2014. She was born on December 16, 1925 in Birmingham, Alabama to Mary Gwendolyn and Walter William Smith. She grew up in Amory, Mississippi and after high school, moved to Akron, Ohio where she met her beloved late husband, Samuel Charles McNeill. Her life was devoted to being a wife and homemaker to her children and the church. She was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church for 60 years. She also belonged to the Sorrowful Mothers and Ladies Guild and she took care of the candles in the church for nearly 25 years. She was a DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) member and a member of the Akron Mothers of Twins for over 50 years. In her early 20's, she taught children to roller skate at St. Paul's Basement Roller Rink. She volunteered through a church to phone an elderly lady named William Coleman for 8 years to check on her daily before she passed. Betty Sue was a member of the Clan Macneil Association of America, her late husband was a member of the Scottish Clan. She worked on the McNeill genealogy for 20 years, and it goes back to the 1600's. She found and met many relatives through her genealogy. Her favorite book was "The Mark of the Scots" by Duncan A. Bruce. She learned what a very large part the Scots had on the original beginning of our country and of many other parts of the world, especially in education of the young. Our mother was a great seamstress and made most of her own dresses and her daughters dresses when they were young. She also was a wonderful cook in the kitchen. Betty Sue was always a busy lady doing for others inside and outside of our home. Yet, she rarely shared her activities with others. For 20 years, she participated in our Dad's antique business. That was her sharing good times with him. Shopping and reading about antiques and setting up at shows as well. She was an avid reader, but not fiction. She wanted to learn about real people, places and things. Our mother always had so much energy that she rarely was still. When she was resting, she would read a book or write letters to family and friends. Her friends were throughout the USA in Texas, Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada and West Virginia. She was preceded in death by her mother and father; husband, Samuel; and two brothers, Billy Dean Smith and Larry Gene Smith. She leaves her children, Betty Rose Heckman, Lawrence (Debbie) McNeill, Christopher (Janet) McNeill, and her twins, William McNeill (Scott Joseph) and Gwendolyn McNeill (Joseph Callahan); brothers, Thomas (Lois) Smith, Fritz (Sarah) Smith and Philip Smith; sisters, Walta Mae Wallace and Anna Maxine Hollis; 8 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral service prayers will begin Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Anthony Funeral Home Kucko-Anthony Kertesz Chapel, 1990 S. Main St. in Akron followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. (Anthony, Akron, 330-724-1281, www.anthonyfh.com)