Mary Neal

Mary Sykes Tickle Neal, 91, was called home today to be with her heavenly father. Mary passed away peacefully at her home after a battle with cancer at her home on Thursday, June 17, 2021 surrounded by her family.  She was a native of Alamance County and the daughter of the late Lacy Jerome and Odell Stone Sykes. She was the wife of the late Gene Harris Tickle and her second husband, the late Thomas Jerry Neal, Sr.

Mary graduated from Mebane High School. She retired from Western Electric/AT&T Technologies Guilford Center in 1984. Mary was a longtime member of Fairview United Methodist Church for 68 years and a faithful Christian. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother “Gi Gi”, and great great grandmother. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Survivors include her son, Kenneth Harris Tickle and wife, Wanda; daughter, Linda Tickle Neal and husband, Steve; grandchildren, Meredith (Zack) Duncan and Darrick (Ashley) Love; great grandchildren, Diara, Darrick II, and Ashleigh and great great grandchildren, Penelope, Timothy, Paisley and Parker; sisters, Mary Pore, Ruby Martin and Betty Jean Aldridge and a brother, James L. “Jodie” Sykes. She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands, brothers, Harvey and Alfred Sykes; sisters, Florine Efland, Irene Wade and Lois Thomas.

A service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held on Monday, June 21, 2021 at Fairview United Methodist Church by Dr. S. Mark Clark and Rev. Terry Huffines burial will follow at Alamance Memorial Park. Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 11:30-12:45Pm prior to the service at the church and other times at the home.

The family would like to thank all their family and friends for their over whelming show of love and support. They would also like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Govinda Brahmanday and heartfelt thanks and exceptional care given by Stacey Chester, Hospice nurse.

In lieu of flowers the family request memorials be made to Fairview UMC, general fund, 3128 Osceola Road, Elon, NC 27244.