Cheri Neely

Cheri DeAnne Neely, age 69, of Abilene, Texas passed away November 11, 2023, in Abilene.  Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Friday, November 17, 2023, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd.  Funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, November 18, 2023, at New Beginnings United Pentecostal Church, 5535 Buffalo Gap Rd. with Reverend Jonathan Neely of New Beginnings officiating. The burial will follow at Buffalo Gap Cemetery.  Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home.

Cheri was born in Hawthorne, California to Harlan D. Allen and Thelma Alene Wicker Allen on September 3, 1954.  She graduated from Carson High School in Carson, California in 1972.  She married Michael Neely on February 2, 1973, in Odessa, Texas.  She worked as a geophysicist tech at Exxon International in Houston, Texas for 10 years.  She taught math and coached volleyball at Life Christian Academy in Houston, coaching the girls’ volleyball team to 5 State Championships.  She received the “Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools”, TAPPS Coach of the Year in 2000, for her excellence in coaching ability and character building.  She was involved with the yearbook club, the Ace and Acts, UICL competition conventions.  She was a member of the choir and glee club in high school and was a member of a singing group in her teens.  She loved singing in the church choir as well.

She is preceded in death by her father, Harlan D. Allen.  She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Mike Neely, her sons Jonathan Neely and wife Valerie of Abilene; Benjamin Neely and wife Mandy of Tuscola, Texas; Daniel Neely and wife Lauren of Vidor, Texas, her mother Thelma Alene Smith, brothers, Tony Allen and wife, Jane all of Abilene, Clayton Allen of Huntington Beach, CA. Grandchildren are Isaac Neely and wife, Sera, Isabel Runkle and husband, Eilliott, Morgan, Ava, Jonah, Molliegrace, Ellyson, Bronson, Decker, Gema, and Juilette Neely, and a host of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Mark Burgen, Isaac Neely, John Garcia, Chris Calk, Jonah Neely, Jeff Ellis.

Memorials may be given to New Beginnings Academy, Scholarship Fund.  The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the excellent staff at BrightPointe at Lytle Lake Nursing Facility, Alzheimer’s Unit, and to Lindsey Goodman of Alpha-Omega Hospice Care.  We would also like to extend thanks to the New Beginnings family for their thoughts, prayers, and kindness during the past 3 years.