Memorial services for Neal Godwin, will be held at 1:00 P.M., Monday, July 8, 2024, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home, West Monroe.  Dr. Woods Watson will officiate.  Interment will follow at the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, Rayville, Louisiana, under the care and direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe. Visitation will be held at noon until time of service.

Neal Harvey Godwin was born April 15, 1940, to the union of Grace Munn and Gerald Godwin and entered into eternal rest on June 27, 2024, at St. Francis Hospital from complications following a heart attack in December 2023.

Neal was the fourth child and first son, so he was always considered special.  He was blessed with multiple talents and a sharp intellect.  Neal had a strong interest in the Antique Market, especially jewelry, furniture and artifacts of many kinds.  He never met a stranger and always had a bag of tricks in his pocket and a quip of some sort.

During high school, Neal joined the Air Force and served on active duty for 8 years.  He enjoyed his time spent in Thailand and The Phillipines.  He served 2 tours in Vietnam at the height of the war.  Neal was a “Load Master” calculating the amount of weight the aircraft could carry and remain in flight.  Following an honorable discharge, he returned home to get his education.  Neal enrolled in NLU (now ULM) and earned a degree in Accounting.  He worked in that field a few years before deciding to join his father and younger brother, Travis, in the family construction company, CIG Contractors, Corinth, Mississippi.  For the next 10 years or so, Neal supervised the building of schools, banks and numerous other commercial buildings.  He left the construction business to pursue a nursing degree, primarily due to health issues of several family members and his own diabetes.  Neal then enrolled in Northeast Community College in Booneville, Mississippi and received a degree in nursing.  He worked as an ICU Critical Care Registered Nurse and a Certified Diabetic Educator, in Tennessee and Mississippi before retiring from Methodist Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.

In 2016, Neal returned to West Monroe to be near his daughter and sisters.  He made friends easily and quickly bonded with a group on “The Alley”.  Antique Alley was a great delight for him.  The highlight of his day, was his lunch at Roly Poly or Chick-Fil-A with his buddies and time spent with his “Alley” friends, especially Garrett, Bruce, Gene and Joe.

Neal was a member of First West, where he was a member of the Sumrall Men’s Class.  He was also a member of the Northeast Louisiana Gem and Mineral Club.

Preceding him in death are his former wife of 47 years, Pennie Winters Godwin; his first wife and mother of his daughter, Lynda Jane Tardo Godwin; parents, Grace and Gerald Godwin; younger brother, Travis Godwin; one niece; three nephews; as well as his three brothers-in-law.

Those left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Melinda Adams (Chris); grandchildren, Juddy Rogers (Holley), Ashley Gates (Lance), Jarrett Rogers (Molly), Lindsey Adams; and seven great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by his daughter Mel Chang (Daniel) and their two sons, from Singapore; sisters Geraldine DeLancy, Charlotte Baxter and Lila Hargrove; along with extended family and friends.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com

To send flowers to the family or place a tree in memory of Neal Godwin, please visit our Tribute Store.