The Rev. Canon Millard F. Neal, Jr., who served Florida parishes after a career in military and civil service, died October 21, aged 90.
The son of an Episcopal priest, Neal served in the US departments of Commerce, Defense, the Interior, and Energy following his graduation from Bethune-Cookman College. He was also an Air Force veteran, serving in Korea and Japan, and he wrote eight books about naval operations. During the Civil Rights Movement, Neal served as coordinator for Episcopal priests who participated in the 1963 March on Washington, and also was deeply involved in the Poor People’s March of 1968.
He was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Southwest Florida in 1989, and served parishes in Clearwater, Pinellas Park, and Tampa. He had a long association with the Cathedral of St. Peter in St. Petersburg, which had been his sponsoring parish, serving as the priest-in-charge and in various assisting capacities for more than 20 years. Neal is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
The Rev. John Splinter, a native of Wisconsin who served parishes throughout the state in many decades of priestly ministry, died October 25, aged 78.
A native of Watertown, Wis., Splinter was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Nashotah House. During an active ministry of over three decades, he served parishes in Racine, Greendale, Tomahawk, Antigo, Marshfield and Oneida. In retirement, he served several interim posts and as Sunday supply in congregations throughout the dioceses of Milwaukee and Fond du Lac.
Splinter had a deep love of the natural world, and was an avid hunter, fisherman, birdwatcher, gardener, and wildlife photographer. He volunteered for many years at Aztalan State Park, and loved his family cabin in the North Woods. He was also a voracious reader, and a strong promoter of choral music, in the parishes where he served and through his participation in a series of community choirs. He is survived by Barbara, his wife of over 53 years, two sons, and three grandchildren.