James Neal Peterson, 73, passed away peacefully Monday, December 23, 2024 at Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. 

The funeral will be at 11 AM Monday, December 30th, at Crumpler-Honeycutt Funeral Home with Rev. E. C. Mattocks officiating.  Interment will follow in Grandview Memorial Park in Clinton.  There will be a viewing from 10 AM – 11 AM just before the funeral for friends and family at the funeral home.

Neal, born April 24, 1951 in Clinton, was the son of the late Elgie Lee Austin Peterson and John Avery Peterson. He graduated from Clinton High School where he played tennis and football.  He attended Chowan College where he played club football and kept up the sport until his late 30’s.  He graduated from East Carolina University and played tennis while there.  He was a pharmaceutical sales rep and later became a prosthetics salesman.  Neal was a sports writer covering local high school athletics for the Myrtle Beach Sun News.  Later in life, Neal’s passion was music.  He enjoyed playing “gig’s” at local restaurants.  In fact, at his parent’s 50th wedding anniversary at Fussell’s Restaurant, he provided the entertainment with his voice and guitar.  Neal’s cousin, Lindsay, taught him to play the guitar and Neal went on to learn banjo & ukulele.  Many cousins enjoyed playing and singing with Neal at family gatherings including the Powell-McArthur Family Reunion.  Most recently he played in two ukulele groups in the Myrtle Beach area.  Neal is known as an avid “wheat crest pennies” collector. 

In addition to his parents, Neal was preceded in death by a brother, Johnny.  Neal is survived by many cousins. 

Arrangements with Crumpler-Honeycutt Funeral Home, 118 Fayetteville Street, Clinton, NC 28328.