Shirley Ruth Neal

Funeral Services for Shirley Neal will be held at 2 pm on Monday, February 16, 2026 at Crossroads Baptist Church with Bro. Dean Crittenden and Bro. Joe Hayes officiating. Burial to follow at Beulah Cemetery near Marthaville, LA. The family will receive friends from 12 noon until 2 pm on Monday the 16th at Crossroads Baptist Church located at 131 Crossroads Church Rd. Marthaville, LA 71450.

Shirley Ruth Neal (Townsend), 81, of Marthaville, LA, went to her heavenly home on February 11, 2026, in Natchitoches, LA, after a short illness.

Shirley was born on December 21, 1944, in Marthaville, LA. She was the fifth child of Jess & Odell Strebeck Townsend. She lived in the same sweet town most of her life. She was a loving mother who raised three children & cared for many nieces & nephews. She worked at Sunbeam in Coushatta for many years until its closure. She also worked for Alliance in Natchitoches.

Shirley is survived by her children, son Nathan Neal & wife Pam of Ruston, son Lloyd Neal of Marthaville, and her only daughter Debbie Neal of Marthaville. She gladfully accepted the role as legal guardian for her nephew Larry Carr and her niece Joy Brown during their formative years.

Also left to cherish her memory are her siblings. Her brothers include Dwight Townsend & wife Millie of Evans, GA, Floyd Townsend & wife Mattie of Marthaville, LA, Danny Townsend & wife Brenda of Zwolle-Marthaville, LA. Her sisters include Cynthia Withers & husband Herbert of Marthaville, LA, Brenda Carr & husband Larry (also nephew) of Natchitoches, her sister-in-law Frances Townsend (wife of Jesse Townsend) of Lake Jackson, TX. Also, a host of nieces & nephews.

Shirley is preceded in death by her loving husband James Neal. Her parents, Jess & Odell Townsend. Her brother Gerald Townsend & wife Ella Dee, her brother Jesse Townsend, & her sister Barbara Birdwell & husband G.W., her nieces Joy Brown (who she raised as her daughter) Angie Carr, Samantha Poole; and her nephews Ryan Dean Birdwell and Roger Townsend.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers will be Jeff Chambers, Rodney Townsend, Tommy Birdwell, Wayde Townsend, Dale Carr, and Joseph Brown. Her nephews and great nephews will be honorary pallbearers.

Special thank you for your prayers. Thank you to our family members & friends who have been beside us during this sad time. Also, thank you to the Natchitoches Hospital ICU nurses who provided special care to Shirley, as well as her family. God Bless.