of Little Rock, AR

April 18, 1936 - September 15, 2024

Carolyn Neal was born on April 18, 1936, in Rogers, Arkansas. She passed away on September 15, 2024 in Little Rock. Carolyn attended grades 4-12 in Lewisville, AR, and during her high school years, she proudly led the high school band as drum major, served as president of the student body, played on the Red Devil's women's basketball team, and graduated as salutatorian in 1954. At Ouachita Baptist College, she was active in the student senate, played tennis and basketball, and in her senior year, 1958, was elected homecoming queen and included in the College Students Who's Who.

After college, Carolyn was hostess at Baptist Hospital, then taught school in Union, MO, Springdale, AR, and Van Buren, AR. From 1983 to 2004, she was the Marketing Director at Parkway Village, a Baptist Hospital System Retirement Community. A street at Parkway Village is named Carolyn Lane in honor of her service.

In retirement she enjoyed reading, working in her gardens, and traveling in the US and overseas. Friends, co-workers, and clients remember her as kind, considerate, and thoughtful, and to all she was a welcoming and gracious hostess in her home. She was a member of Second Presbyterian Church. To give family time to make travel arrangements there will be a celebration of Carolyn's life at Parkway Village in a few weeks.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. J.W. Royal and Mary Baker Royal; her brother, Jim Royal, and her grandson, Samuel Walsh Johnson. She is survived by her husband, Rod; sons, Randy Neal (Susan), Malcolm Neal (Josie), Kevin Johnson (Nancy), and daughter, Kelly Barthelemy (Matt); grandchildren, Max, Eva, and Alex Barthelemy, Austin, and Ian Neal; nephew Jim Cole Royal (Vickie); great-niece Nicole, and first cousin Maggie Royal Brown. Special thanks to her companion, Alanda Cates.

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