I am heartbroken to hear of Neal's passing. He was my first love - we had an intense yearlong romance back in Kintergarten at Lincoln school. It was so serious that I even bought Neal a Tonka dumptruck for his 6th birthday!! Over the years we would bump into each other from time to time and then with the advent of Facebook we would chat regularly. He was a genuinely nice man - never had a mean thing to say about anyone. R.I.P Neal - you will be missed.
I am utterly shocked and stunned! Neal and I reconnected on Facebook several years ago and it was such a joy catching up with him again. Neal was in my homeroom, and by default I got to know him better than just about everybody else in high school over those four years.
My favorite memory of Neal revolves around music. I have always had a love and passion for music and dreamed about being a drummer throughout my childhood. My parents would not allow me to have a drum set, and it was very frustrating. Neal knew this and would invite me over to his house to play on his drums and boy did I ever! The one album I distinctly remember playing along with was Aerosmith Get Your Wings!
In any case, this is just one small anecdotal story illustrating Neil's caring and compassion for others as he reached out to me when he knew I could use a little support.
Neal never told me he was battling anything that might have led to this very sad moment. Probably typical for him, as he never struck me as somebody who was a complainer. A piece of my heart and my life has been removed now knowing Neal is no longer a part of it.
I pray now that Neal is resting in Eternal peace and looking down on all of us waiting for that day where we will all be together once again! Miss you buddy and see you again one day!
I am heart broken to hear that Neal left us... and my eyes well as I type this. I have endless great memories of time spent with Neal... so much of the time spent at his house in his basement playing guitar to his drums along with Pete Bruening and Phyllis Gusky who graduated the year before us - and along with anyone else who found their way to Neal's basement while we played. God bless Neal's parents who hung out upstairs attemting to watch TV through all the noise we made. I remember having so much fun. Neal was such a kind soul and he had that perpetual smile and genuine laugh that went with it and he possessed endless positive energy which is what I loved about my friendship with him.
I left Pittsburgh after high school and lost track of Neal, well before cell phones and social media... but was thrilled when Neal reached out as he did with so many people once he discovered facebook. It was great to catch up with him briefly but I'm truly sad that I won't get the chance to see him again in person as I had hoped we'd one day find time for... to reminisce and laugh again at the things that made us laugh then.
Neal was a big part of my time not spent in school back then. I have often thought back on those times as being some of the best times of my teens. We were all so fortunate to have had the friends that we made then... especially the ones that impacted us with lasting memories. Thank you Neal for the wonderful ones that I possess that included you... I have and will always hold them fondly in my head and heart.
Rae Squilla (Keane)
I am heartbroken to hear of Neal's passing. He was my first love - we had an intense yearlong romance back in Kintergarten at Lincoln school. It was so serious that I even bought Neal a Tonka dumptruck for his 6th birthday!! Over the years we would bump into each other from time to time and then with the advent of Facebook we would chat regularly. He was a genuinely nice man - never had a mean thing to say about anyone. R.I.P Neal - you will be missed.
Lisa A. Kotsch (Porco)
So sorry to hear this...he was a kind soul.
Eric T. DeZubay
I am utterly shocked and stunned! Neal and I reconnected on Facebook several years ago and it was such a joy catching up with him again. Neal was in my homeroom, and by default I got to know him better than just about everybody else in high school over those four years.My favorite memory of Neal revolves around music. I have always had a love and passion for music and dreamed about being a drummer throughout my childhood. My parents would not allow me to have a drum set, and it was very frustrating. Neal knew this and would invite me over to his house to play on his drums and boy did I ever! The one album I distinctly remember playing along with was Aerosmith Get Your Wings!
In any case, this is just one small anecdotal story illustrating Neil's caring and compassion for others as he reached out to me when he knew I could use a little support.
Neal never told me he was battling anything that might have led to this very sad moment. Probably typical for him, as he never struck me as somebody who was a complainer. A piece of my heart and my life has been removed now knowing Neal is no longer a part of it.
I pray now that Neal is resting in Eternal peace and looking down on all of us waiting for that day where we will all be together once again! Miss you buddy and see you again one day!
Sean C. Gregg
I am heart broken to hear that Neal left us... and my eyes well as I type this. I have endless great memories of time spent with Neal... so much of the time spent at his house in his basement playing guitar to his drums along with Pete Bruening and Phyllis Gusky who graduated the year before us - and along with anyone else who found their way to Neal's basement while we played. God bless Neal's parents who hung out upstairs attemting to watch TV through all the noise we made. I remember having so much fun. Neal was such a kind soul and he had that perpetual smile and genuine laugh that went with it and he possessed endless positive energy which is what I loved about my friendship with him.
I left Pittsburgh after high school and lost track of Neal, well before cell phones and social media... but was thrilled when Neal reached out as he did with so many people once he discovered facebook. It was great to catch up with him briefly but I'm truly sad that I won't get the chance to see him again in person as I had hoped we'd one day find time for... to reminisce and laugh again at the things that made us laugh then.
Neal was a big part of my time not spent in school back then. I have often thought back on those times as being some of the best times of my teens. We were all so fortunate to have had the friends that we made then... especially the ones that impacted us with lasting memories. Thank you Neal for the wonderful ones that I possess that included you... I have and will always hold them fondly in my head and heart.
Fortunately there is no audio :)
Eric T. DeZubay
I dug up this picture from my homeroom I took our senior year in 1978. Pictured from left to right:
Carole Dilling, Neal Davis, Laura Dorman, Ed Demmer.
Mark R. McFarlin
Wow - I was completely bummed when I heard this news - completely. What a good guy - a good man.