Patricia A. (Etzel) Neely

    Patricia A. Etzel Neely, age 88 of Knox, passed away early Monday morning, May 2, 2022, at McKinley Healthcare Center in Brookville following an extended period of declining health.

     Born January 15, 1934, in Elmo, Clarion County, she was the youngest daughter of John and Anna Kropp Etzel.

     She was a 1951 graduate of White Memorial School in Knox where she was a member of band and chorus and had the lead role of “Miss Brooks” in her senior class play, “Our Miss Brooks.”  She was also the literary editor of her yearbook and graduated with honors.

    Patricia was married to William A. Neely on August 17, 1951, by Reverend Lewis Fox in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Knox. Patricia and William celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary 9 months ago.

   They resided in the Knox area until moving to Indiana in 1967. She was a homemaker and while in Indiana worked for a few years at Hills Department Store. The Neely’s returned to the Knox area in 1976.

     Patricia was a member of the St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Knox but faithfully attended Grace Evangelical Congregational Church in Ninevah for a number of years. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star-Clarion Chapter #267.

     She loved poetry and wrote since grade school, and annually wrote and designed her own personal Christmas greetings for nearly 40 years. Christmas was her special time and she anticipated and planned for it all year long.

     In addition to her husband, Patricia is survived by the following children: William David Neely of Indiana; Bonnie Jean McBroom and her husband, Jan, of Blairsville and Daniel Jay Neely of Frederick, Maryland, and a granddaughter, Jessica Lynn Ingle and her husband, Rob, also of Frederick, Maryland.

    She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Merry Gene Bartly and brothers-in-law: Blake Neely and his wife, Kay; Blane Neely and his wife, Heather, and Dickson Stover, and numerous nieces and nephews.

     In addition to her parents, Patricia was preceded in death by a son, Gary Eugene Neely, killed in an automobile accident in 1984.

     She was the last surviving member of her immediate family, who were Evelyn, Grace, Dana, Harry, Jeanne, George and Gerald.

     Family and friends will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at the William N. Rupert Mortuary, Inc., 430 Mendenhall Avenue, Knox.

    Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in the funeral home with Reverend Lewis Bennett officiating.

     Interment will follow in the St. Paul’s Union Cemetery in Knox.

     Online condolences may be sent to Patricia’s family at www.rupertfuneralhomes.com

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