Mabel Beatrice McNeill

Mabel Beatrice McNeill was born on Tuesday, September 3, 1935, in Rocky Mount, NC.She was the first born of nine children to the late Stanley and Susie Harrison. She quietly andpeacefully passed on May 20, 2024, at the MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center inClinton, MD. Mabel joined Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, NC, at an early age.She was raised in Rocky Mount and educated in the Nash County Public School System. She always had aspirations of becoming a beautician and, in 1953, attended the Nash County Training School. Her aspirations were paused in 1957 when she gave birth to her first daughter, Patricia Harrison. Shortly thereafter, she relocated to Washington, DC, joined Emmanuel Baptist Church and became a member of both the Women’s Choir and the Women’s Club. Mabel was
very active during her membership. Shortly after joining the Church, Mabel met the late James McNeill, Jr. They dated for a while; one thing led to another, and joined in holy matrimony in 1962. After four years of marriage, in 1966, Laverne was born. God called James home in 1986, after 24 years of marriage. Mabel was determined to fulfill her career aspirations. She worked most of her full-time career with the DC Office of Finance and Revenue. Her DC government career span over 25 years. Mabel stayed busy. While she worked, she completed night classes focusing on business communication. In addition, she worked 30 years part-time at Rogers Memorial Hospital.
Many of those years overlapped with her DC government career. She retired from the DC government in 1995. Upon retirement from the DC government, Mabel returned to school to pursue and acquire a beautician’s license (her original aspiration as a young girl in NC) at Maryland Hair Design for Women. When Mabel was committed to a goal or dream, she pursued it with vigor and passion. Once credentialed, she opened an in-home beauty salon where she had multiple regular clients. You’d think Mabel’s career aspirations would now be fulfilled, but after all this, she returned to work in 1997, as a front desk receptionist with Southern Towers Apartments in Alexandria, VA. She retired from Southern Towers after 15 years of service. Mabel was always open to financial opportunities. For example, she was an Amway
representative, and also sold Avon and Mary Kay products. In terms of pastimes and hobbies, Mabel’s favorites were cooking and entertaining family and friends. Oh, and she thoroughly enjoyed eating crabs. Loved’em and would never turn down an invitation to indulge.She leaves to cherish her memories: her daughter, LaVerne McNeill; her grandson and granddaughter, Corey McNeill and Shauntell Chisley, both of the home; one great-granddaughter, Alexis Newton; two sisters, Carrie Mae Hicks of Rocky Mount, NC, and Joyce Edwards (Alvin) of Upper Marlboro, MD; three brothers, Stanley Harrison, Jr., Jessie Harrison, and Curtis Harrison, all of Rocky Mount, NC; eight nieces, six nephews, and a host of dear friends.