Kathryn Electa Neale

Kathryn Neale, age 98, passed away Saturday, August 28, 2010 in Sandpoint, Idaho. Kathryn was born April 12, 1912; three days before the ship Titanic sank on its maiden voyage. She was born and raised on an island off the New Jersey coast. Coincidentally her parents Louis and Effie Headley and her older brother Louis Milton were also 98 years old when they passed away. “Kay” as she liked to be called also had a younger sister Vera who passed away at the age of 93. Kay and her (only) husband Herbert G. Neale enjoyed being married for 62 years. They had one child, a daughter, Beverly Neale Ragland of Sagle, Idaho. Beverly married James Ray Ragland and they had three sons, James Herbert Ragland (wife Bumper), Timothy Arthur Ragland, and Philip Ray Ragland (wife Angie). Kay had many great grandchildren including three great, great grandchildren. Kay and her husband Herb moved from New Jersey to Miami, Florida along with Kay’s parents and Herb’s parents before their daughter Beverly was born in 1936. They owned and ran a large Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop close to the Miami River for many, many years. Kay was Herb’s secretary and he called her “The Boss!” Even thought she never weighted over 75 pounds! She could be sassy! Herb and Kay also pioneered one of the first motorcycle clubs. They named it the “Retreads.” With Kay on the back of his bike Herb and the rest of the club would leave Miami and head for Key West or places like Daytona Beach… even when Kay was expecting Beverly! Herb was still riding motorcycles at age 83 when he passed away, but by this time he made Kay ride a “sidecar” connected to his bike. However, she never lost the “thrill of the ride” and would hop on the back of her grandson’s bikes until just recently! The tiny, tiny lady with the spunky personality will be greatly missed. She wanted her ashes to be placed next to Herb’s in the Waynesville North Carolina Memorial Gardens which had become their retirement home in their final years together.