Waylain Neal Cearley, 89, of Amarillo, TX passed away on March 20, 2021.
Services will be at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, March 25, 2021, in the Memory Gardens Cemetery Chapel. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.
Neal was born in Clarendon, TX on August 21, 1931, to William (Doc) and Ruth Cearley. His family moved to Amarillo when he was young, so he grew up in Amarillo. After graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in the Korean War. After the war, he returned to Amarillo and while working as a produce truck driver he met the love of his life in the high school cafeteria in Friona, Texas. After she graduated high school, he married her and moved her to Amarillo. After around a year or so, Neal enlisted back into the Marine Corps which began a whole new different kind of life for his new family. His first five years he was stationed here in Amarillo, but after the third child, the adventures began.
He was sent to Okinawa, while his mom and children stayed in Friona. When he returned, he moved his family to NAD in McAlester, OK. About 3 years later, the family was moved to Camp Lejeune, NC. Almost 2 years later the family moved to Fort Ord, CA for 6 months, then back to Camp Lejeune, where his family stayed while Neal was sent to Maryland for training and then to Cadiz, Spain to train Spanish Marines. After he returned the family was moved off base and Neal was transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. About a year later, the family was moved to join him. After about a year and a half, Neal was sent to Vietnam and the family waited for him in Amarillo. Fourteen months later, he returned, and the family moved again, this time to Camp Pendelton, CA for around 6 months, then back up to Fort Ord for the rest of the summer. The next move sent the family back to Camp Lejeune, but we got to live off base in Jacksonville, NC. Neal retired from active duty in August 1973 but remained in Jacksonville until the oldest daughter graduated high school in 1974. That summer they made the final military move to return to Amarillo.
After retirement from the Marine Corps, he continued working in Amarillo as a Security Guard, Deputy U.S. Marshall, Randall County Deputy Sheriff, Randall County Constable, and then the courtesy driver for the Autoplex. He was President of the Tascosa Lions Club in 2003. He also volunteered a few years with Meals on Wheels.
He was a man of faith and uncommonly kind. He would walk his little dog around the neighborhood and made many friends. He treated everyone he encountered with respect. His smile and laughter would fill the room, and he had many stories to share. He was the kind of man who would quietly and humbly just take care of his family. He lived an incredible life.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his son, Don Cearley.
Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Imogene Cearley; 2 daughters: Darlene Cearley of Amarillo and Deborah Myers of Wake Forest, NC; 4 grandchildren: Wayne Cearley and wife Jessica of Amarillo, Jason Myers and wife Christina of Franklinton, NC, Sherilyn Cearley of Amarillo, and Jill Langlois and husband Mack of Wake Forest, NC; 9 great-grandchildren: Gracie Cearley, Seth Cearley, Phillip Cearley, Silas Cearley, Tate Myers, Eli Myers, Owen Myers, Benjamin Langlois, and Nathan Langlois.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at CFF.org.
