PROSPECT — Mrs. Irene (Pomaski) Neal, 100, of Prospect, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, surrounded by her loving family.
She was the loving wife of the late Joseph J Neal, owner of Neal’s Pharmacy in Prospect. Mrs. Neal was born in Waterbury, the daughter of Helen and Paul Pomaski. She was a devoted and loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Mrs. Neal was an active member of St. Anthony’s Church and the Ladies Guild. She was also very active in the Waterbury Area Pharmaceutical Wives Association. She served as its president and also as the chairman of its scholarship committee and their Scholarship Bridge Benefit.
Mrs. Neal had a love for the game of Bridge. Her group played contract bridge regularly at each others homes, and also duplicate bridge at the Elton Hotel in downtown Waterbury.
After her husband opened Prospect’s first pharmacy in 1953, Mrs. Neal worked with her husband and ran the soda fountain and the front of the store. There she met many townspeople and established personal friendships with many of them. When the town of Prospect began to grow in population in the 1960s, Mrs. Neal was approached by one of the local doctors, Philip J. Griffin, and the town’s medical health director, Dr. Sung Liao about the possibility of forming a committee to bring the medical and social services of the Greater Waterbury Area into the town of Prospect. She formed a core group of ladies she met through her association with Neal’s Pharmacy. They included Marie Delage and Kathleen Senese. This group reached out to local business leaders, clergy, the Ladies Guild of St Anthony’s Church, the Women’s Organization of the Prospect Congregational Church and town leaders. Their combined efforts brought the services of the Red Cross Blood Drive, the United Way services of the Greater Waterbury Area, and the services of the Waterbury Visiting Nurses Association to the town of Prospect. These services still exist today because of the leadership of similarly civic minded residents in Prospect.
As longtime residents of Prospect themselves, with family members both young and old, Mrs. Neal, Marie and Kathy recognized the needs of their growing community. When asked to serve, they gave their time and leadership to help a growing Prospect become a wonderful town to raise a family, and a caring community in which to age with dignity.
Following her years of community service, Mrs.Neal returned to her first love — her family and friends. She attended many school events and hosted many family parties and picnics. She also enjoyed her grandchildren and great- grandchildren.
Irene was always an avid reader and enjoyed conducting book talks with family members. She also liked to write poetry which she also shared with family. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren gave her much joy. She loved their visits, dancing with them in her living room, listening to them sing songs from their school concerts, and sharing their jokes and stories. Irene had a great sense of humor and was a lot of fun to be with even at 100 plus years of age. She will be sadly missed by those who loved her, but we will also celebrate her long life of family, faith, friends, community service, and good health.
Mrs. Neal is survived by her two children, Eileen Mudry and her husband John, Dr. Joseph Neal and his wife Sandy, her four grandchildren Eric Mudry (Duffy), Jessica Mudry (Liz), Ryan Neal (Shelby) and Meghan Francoeur (Glen) and nine great-grandchildren, Vivian, Christopher, and Maxwell Mudry, Avery, Samuel and Sophie Hines-Mudry, Ethan and Eliza Neal and Clara Francoeur. Mrs. Neal was predeceased by her sister, Jennie Renkun, and her sister-in-law, Elizabeth Neal.
Mrs. Neal’s funeral will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015 at 10 a.m. from the Prospect Memorial Funeral Home, 72 Waterbury Road, Prospect to St. Anthony Roman Catholic Church, 4 Union City Road, Prospect for a mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery in Naugatuck. Calling hours will be held at the funeral home on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 7001, Prospect, CT 06712.
To place online condolences, visit www.prospectmemorial.com.
