Obituary

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 161, 9 July 1943, Page 2

Obituary

MRS. JULIA ANN NEAL, OF ASHHURST • There passed away at Palmerston i North on June 16, 1043, after a short illJ ness, Mrs. .Julia Ann Neal, an old and ■ respected resident of Nelson, widow of • Mr. Robert Neal, who predeceased her 24 • years ago. Born in Birmingham, England, in 1851, she, with her parents, Mr. • and Mrs. W. H. Berry, departed from • England by the ship Kingston, arriving in ■ Auckland in 1858. During the voyage she l celebrated her eighth birthday and to ) honour the occasion, was presented with l a birthday cake, made by the ship’s cook. I After a few years’ residence in Auckland i Mr. Berry decided to take his family to • Newcastle, Australia, where for five ' years he filled the position of supervisor » at the Walsend coal mines, eventually • journeying to Nelson, where he was api pointed custodian of the cemetery. For i some years after she married Mr. Robert Neal in 1872, Mrs. Neal resided at Spring Grove, where her husband had contracts i for supplying timber cut from virgin bush for construction work on railways ana wharves, eventually returning to Nelson. Aftei the death of her husband, Mrs. ; Neal resided ,with her only daughter, Mrs. M. P. Wilkin, in the Wairarapa, and for the last 15 years at Ashhurst, leading an active life up till three days before her death. Being of a kindly nature, Mrs. Neal was esteemed by all who knew her. Mrs. Neal had a family of seven, five sons end two daughters. Two sons and a daughter predeceased her some years ago. There are left to mourn their loss, one daughter, Mrs. M. P. Wilkin, and three sons, George, Rainsford and Harold, 13 grandchildren and four great-grand-children, also two sisters, Mrs. Keefe, ol Auckland, and Mrs. W. Frost, of Nelson, and two brothers, Mr. William Berry, ol Wellington, and Mr. Fred Berry, ot Christchurch. The funeral took place at the Nelson cemetery on Friday, June 18, services being conducted by the Methodist minister, of which church the deceased lady was a lifelong member. MRS. A. L. WESTMORELAND After a long illness, the death occurred last week of Mrs. A. B. Westmoreland who had been a resident of Palmerston . North for many years past. Mrs. WeatI moreland was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. D. Crowley, of Clive, Hawke’s Bay, and came to live in Palmerston North shortly after her marriage to Mr. Westmoreland, who was engaged in a , printing and stationery business. Mrs.

Westmoreland took an active interest in all charitable movements, and her kindly disposition and unfailing hospitality endeared her to a wide circle of friends. For many years she was an ardent worker for St. Patrick’s Church, until failing health made it necessary to cease these activities. The sympathy extended to her husband, her son. Mr. Keith Westmoreland, of Gisborne, and her daughter, Joan, was evidenced by tho many fiorai tributes and condolences from all parts of New Zealand. The funeral took place on Saturday last after Requleum Mass ai St. Patrick’s Church.