Ernest Forrest Neal

Ernest Forrest Neal, 92, of Enterprise, died March 26 at Wallowa Valley Care Center. A celebration of life was held April 3 at First Baptist Church in Enterprise. Burial followed at the Enterprise Cemetery. Bollman Funeral Home in Enterprise was in charge of arrangements.

Ernest was born Sept. 7, 1916, to Marion and Viva (Shumway) Neal, the third of eight children in Lebanon.

As a youth, Ernest was a member of the CCC. He moved to Milton where he helped build the grainery that can be seen on the right at the entrance to town.

He met Myrtle Hudson in Milton. They married Oct. 9, 1940, and had three children. They later divorced in 1958. Early in the '40s, he moved to Enterprise where he worked in the Wallowa County Creamery.

When it closed, he went to work for Jack's Tire Service recapping tires in the winter.

In summer, he worked for Union Pacific Railroad on track until 1950 when he started work full time. In 1965, he was track foreman. He returned to Enterprise in the fall of 1969 as the section foreman until his retirement.

He drove for Community Connection in Enterprise until he was 80.

Survivors include daughters, E. Maurine Haynes of Lincoln City and Winnifred Andrews of La Grande; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brother, Noel Neal and his wife, Sally, of Hood River; sister, Sheila Fredrickson and her husband, Fred Springfield; and many other family members.

Forrest was preceded in death by his son, Ronald F. Neal in 1969 at Vietnam; his parents; four sisters; and one brother.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wallowa Valley Care Center.

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