Gladys Irene Neel

Gladys Irene Neel took her last breath on earth and her first breath in Heaven on December 25, 2017. She was born in Arkansas to David Reed and Maudie May Hewitt Reed on March 30, 1916. Gladys graduated from Labanon High School in Labanon, Missouri in 1933. She worked for about five years as a telephone operator.

Gladys and her husband Elmore (Tex) Neel opened Neel's cleaners in Firebaugh, Ca and operated the business for 40 years, with Gladys as a seamstress. As each child finished 7th grade they would start learning jobs at the cleaners, and Gladys would teach them every step of the way. "She was a busy lady!" Vicki Bell said of her mom. Gladys is Preceded in death by her husband Tex Neel, daughter Linda Robinson and step-son James Neel. 

She is survived by her daughter Vicki Bell, son in-law Wendell Bell, step-son Michael Neel, nine grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great-grandchildren. Gladys granddaughter Rhonda Palmer has lived in the Mountain Communities for about seven years and traveled many times to Bakersfield to visit her grandmother. Rhonda works at a Mountain Communities gas station. The family will have private services for Gladys.

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