Martha Louise McNeal

Martha L. McNeal (Punk) was born July 20th, 1937 to Wilson J. and Ruth I. (Heinecke) Fredling in Greeley, Co. She spent her early childhood years in Greeley, then California, Texas, and Estes Park during World War II while her father served in the US Navy. After WWII, her family moved to Eastern Colorado, living in the communities of Yuma, Eckley and graduating from Sedgwick in 1955. Martha attended University of Northern Colorado, formerly known as CO State College, where she met the love of her life, Stephen W. McNeal. She graduated in 1959 with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Elementary Education. Upon graduating she married Steve on August 16th, 1959 in Sterling, CO. They moved to Eaton, Co. where they lived for 2 years before moving to Fort Collins in 1962. Martha taught in Kersey, Eaton, Timnath, Fort Collins and Wellington. She also influenced several of her private lesson students to great success. A great joy for Martha and Steve were the adoptions of their daughter, Elizabeth (1969) and son Nathan (1976) whom they raised in their home on the East edge of Ft. Collins. Martha also enjoyed the years spent singing with the Fort Collins Women’s Chorus, in leadership of the local Christian Women’s Club, working at Craft Trophy Shop and Boomer Music. But aside from her family, her greatest joy was to support and encourage her husband of 55+ years in his musical endeavors. Steve and Martha are longtime members of LifePointe, formerly known as First Baptist Church. They also dearly loved spending time at their little mountain cabin near Hahn’s Peak, CO. It truly was their home away from home. Martha went home to be with her Lord and Savior on January 15th, 2015 while surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Nancy Jo (Fredling) Wordell. She is survived by her husband Steve, daughter Elizabeth (Pat) Stobbe, son Nathan, 9 grandchildren; Courtney (Chris) Von Holt, Marissa, Luke, Katie, Ben, Isaac, Ian and Riley Stobbe and Addison Jay McNeal. She is also survived by sisters Carol Pearson and Gayl Fredling, her 99 year old Aunt and numerous cousins and nieces and nephews. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, January 24th @ 2:00pm in the University Center for the Arts, 2nd floor, Organ Recital Hall. 1400 Remington Ave. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made through Bohlender Funeral Chapel 121 W. Olive St. Fort Collins, CO 80524. Please specify contributions to be sent to either: Samaritan’s Purse, Alliance Defending Freedom, or Fort Collins Wind Symphony.

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Martha Louise McNeal

July 20, 1937 - January 15, 2015