Essie Watts Nealey: Tabor City

1932 – 2024

     Essie Watts Nealey of Tabor City died Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Tabor Commons Assisted Living, Tabor City. She was 91.

     She was the daughter of the late Odell Watts and Eva Bell Watts. She was a member of Tabor City Holiness Tabernacle for 73 years where she was the church secretary.

     She is survived by two sons, Terry Nealey and wife Robin, Robert Nealey and wife Jenny of Tabor City; two daughters, Sherry Strickland of Tabor City and Jessica Thomas and husband Jeff of Green Sea; a brother and sister Homer Watts and Princess Olshinski, both of Thomasville; fourteen grandchildren; twenty-eight great grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.

     In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Leon Nealey; two sons, Gary and Greg Nealey; one daughter, Penny McCumbee; a grandson, Terry Leon Nealey II; four brothers, Hubert Watts, Grady Watts, Hoyt Watts, Frank Watts; and five sisters, Gladys Graham, Mary Lou Bullard, Myrtie Blanton, and Elizabeth Tyler Marie Coleman.

     Special thanks to the staff of Tabor Commons for their great care during her stay and to Lower Cape Fear Hospice.

     Visitation was planned from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, in the Inman Ward Funeral Home Chapel.

     Funeral services were planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, in the Inman Ward Funeral Home Chapel, burial following in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Tabor City.

     Sign a guest register here.