Paul Leman Mcneal. Jr.

Paul Leman McNeal, Jr. was born on August 22, 1943, to Paul Leman McNeal, Sr. and wife Margie Mae Reynolds McNeal in Kahn hospital in Kilgore, Texas. Leman was an only child. He broke the bonds of this world on Sunday, December 11, 2022. Very fitting he would leave on the Lord’s Day. He was blessed to be at home with loved ones and he made it abundantly clear he was ready. God was calling him home!

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, December 17, 2022, Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Whitney with Mr. Rick Pinner and Pastor Jesse Motley officiating. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 pm Friday, December 16, 2022, at Marshall and Marshall in Whitney. Graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm Sunday, December 18, 2022, at Huffines Cemetery in Bivins, Texas with Dave Bailey and Heston McLauren officiating.

Leman is survived by his wife, Nancy, son Jeff and daughter Devona. He had 7 grandchildren: Andria Widemon, Clint Burkhart, Shelby Shelton, Caitlyn Whitman, Kaylean McNeal, Melissa Elizondo, and Cole McNeal and 7 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by both his parents and all 4 grandparents and one great-granddaughter. His family will miss him terribly but each of them had great respect and a deep abiding love for him and his gentle, strong faith. Leman and Nancy actually met and fell in love when Nancy's parents moved in across the street from Leman's parents. They were married on June 5, 1965, giving them 57.5 years together. It was truly a marriage blessed by God.

Leman was an avid deer hunter and fisherman! He loved the outdoors! Some in the family called him the "deer whisperer" and the "fish whisperer". He was very skilled in these areas. He taught school for years specializing in chemistry along with physics, math and English. He was also a master carpenter who seemed to have no limits to in his artistic abilities.

Leman's most gratifying passion was serving the Lord - no matter how tired or weak he was. People responded to his gentle servant's heart. He was an ordained minister. He accepted every opportunity to share his testimony with others. He was active in Church Under the Bridge in Texarkana and spent recent years praying for people who came to the LWMA food bank in Whitney for help with food and other various services. He shared the Lord wherever he went in his daily activities. He was always eager to fill the pulpit for our pastor.

Leman fought melanoma cancer several times between 2007 and up to his death. There were three times in those years that doctors told him he would not make it. But God is the one who decides our end of life and God had plans for Leman. This year in May, his cancer doctors dismissed him saying any treatments would kill him. They sent him home with orders for hospice estimating he had a few weeks, maybe a month. He survived a little over 7 months with most of that time strong and able to do whatever he wanted to do. Hospice was actually called in to assist the day before he died. God blessed him over and over again! We were so very grateful for every day we had!

2 Timothy 4: 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith!

Leman's message to all of you would be to get your life in line with God's will, stay the course and trust God with all your heart. Then, get to work serving the Lord and glorifying Him in everything. Til his dying breath, Leman was praising God!!! And when God called him home, Leman heard these words: "Welcome home, good and faithful servant"!

Memorials may be made to: Lake Whitney Ministerial Alliance, 100 Sims Dr. Whitney, Texas 76692.