A one-car vehicle accident Thursday evening claimed the life of the Marion County Deputy Coroner, when the car she was driving left the road and collided into a tree. Alicia Neal, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene by Walthall County Coroner Eric Steel. Neal was driving north on Mississippi 587 when the white sedan she was driving left the road.
Neal had previously run for coroner for Marion County but lost in the primaries in Aug. 2019, a race that was won by Jessie Graham. After becoming coroner, Graham made a request to the Marion County Board of Supervisors for a deputy coroner. The board approved the request and Graham gave the position to Neal.
At the accident Thursday night, Graham was on-scene, but because they worked together Graham said he would not work it.
“I can’t do it. She was my deputy,” Graham somberly said. Not only was she Graham’s deputy, but they worked together at St. Luke’s Home Health & Hospice. Neal was a licensed practical nurse.
It did not take long for the shock to rock the community of Neal’s death. Within a couple of hours, people started to leave loving tributes to Neal on her Facebook page.
Sandy Kay Carpenter posted, “One of the prettiest and sweetest nurses ever. So sad. Praying for Alicia Neal family!”
Joy Raquel Gibson said, “It’s incredible to me how one person can impact an entire town! Today Columbia and Marion County lost one of our finest! She was a friend to all and always making the people around her smile and laugh! One day I hope to be half the nurse and friend she was!”
Amy McKenzie shared, “You brought the fun to my life during a dark time and it’s been sunny ever since. I don’t know how to go on without you. You were my light. You were the yin to my yang.”
Former Managing Editor Mark Rogers shared that he recently had a brief conversation with Neal through text. In one of the texts, she said “Life is Amazing.” More than one person on her Facebook page shared how that was her saying and that is how she lived.
Neal was also the pianist at Holly Springs Baptist Church where she was a long-time member.
She is survived by three children, Michael Neal, Gabriel Neal and Auriel Thornhill; father, Kenneth Neal; stepfather, Harold Harper; sister, Allison Spiers; brother, Ken Neal and other family members.
