Jean Neylon

Jean Carla Neylon, 86, of Burlington, passed away on May 3, 2023, at Cedar Ridge Retirement Home in Burlington.  She was born November 22, 1936 in Springfield, Massachusetts.  She was the daughter of the late James and Carla Neylon, and the sister of Lynn Gazda and Christopher Neylon.                 

Jean was an avid learner and reader. She received her bachelor’s degree from Loyola University, her master’s degree from John Hopkins University and her certificate from Education for Ministry from the School of Theology. She had a love of her Irish Heritage which blossomed with a trip to Ireland. Celtic music and all things Irish were dear to her heart.

Jean dedicated her life to the service of others. She worked as a buyer for a department store in Baltimore. Then she worked for many years and retired from her position at Bell Atlantic, now known as Verizon. Her dedication and generosity to others was the focal point throughout her 86 years.

For almost a decade, Jean was known as Sister Jean Neylon with the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart and for more than 40 years was a dedicated Deacon for the Episcopal Church. In 1963 Jean received her certification as a Lay Teacher for the Parrish C.C.D. High Schools of Religion in the Diocese of Pittsburg after completing the Advanced Confraternity of Christian Doctrine where she taught Religion on a secondary level. In 1973 was received into the Protestant Spiritual Church in the Church of the Ascension and Prince of Peace in Maryland and was ordained to the Diaconate on June 17, 1989 by Bishop A. Theodore Eastman for Maryland at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Washington, D.C. While working in the diocese in Maryland Jean’s most notable contributions included teaching the mentally handicapped life skills and simple math and noted for her incremental contributions in the founding of a soup kitchen in the inner city. Her tender heart led her to not only help people, and communities but also cats.

Jean and her cats retired in North Carolina where she focused on family, friends and relaxing. One of her favorite shirts had the writing, “Books, Cats, and Music, that’s all I need.” She was loving and was loved by many, including “her boy” Eli and her “niece” Kathryn.

Jean is survived by her sister, Ann Waters, her brothers, Eric and Bruce Neylon, many nieces, nephews, cousins and people who she has “adopted” as such.

A visitation will be held from 10am-12pm on Thursday May 11, 2023, at McClure Funeral Service in Graham.

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