A busy life came to a close October 7, 2023 at 5:28 p.m. when Bro. Rochester Neal was called from labor unto a peaceful rest. He was the son of the late William and Alberta Brooks-Jones. He was born May 26, 1938, in Fayette County Tennessee. After moving to Memphis in 1949 he accepted Christ at the age of 12 years old at the Greater Calvary Baptist church under the leadership of the late Rev. C. L. Crutcher.

In 1950, he and his brother Willie organized a gospel group named the Gospel Writers Junior. Ten years later they became the Dixie Nightingales singing both nationally and internationally. In 1975 he joined the Patterson Aires where he sang praises to the most high God until the group dissolved the name in 1998.

Rochester Neal was preceded in death by his parents William and Alberta Neal; brothers Willie Neal, Ronnie and Elijah Jones; his daughter Symone Bell and his nephew Jeremy Neal. Rochester leaves to mourn his passing and to forever cherish his memory: his loving and devoted wife, Letha Neal who he married in 1987; sister Sandra Neal of Memphis, TN; daughter Cassandra Crawford of Sioux Falls, SD; son Fabian (Sandra ) McGhee of Riverside, CA and; grandchildren Marvette McDonald of Memphis and Jamille and Kenyatta Neal of Dallas, TX, Brittney and Branford McGhee of Riverside, CA, Mario (Kawanda)Liddell of Mesa, AZ, and Marshall (Stacey) Crawford of Sioux Falls, SD. He also leaves a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was a member of Berean Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. Edward Parker Jr. where he served until his health failed.