Elaine Neill

Elaine Neill, 84, of Canyon, passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Services will be at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at the University Church of Christ in Canyon with David Lough officiating. Burial will follow in Dreamland Cemetery. Elaine was born on September 25, 1940 in Crane, Texas to Herman and Bernice (Worley) Plate. She graduated from Crane High School in 1959 and received her Bachelor of Arts from Abilene Christian College in 1962. True to her character, she was deeply loyal to her instructors and classmates of Crane HS and ACC. Elaine married Duane Neill on August 20, 1964 in Hawaii and followed him during his military career, living in various places until they settled in Lubbock for him to finish his law degree. Elaine taught school in Arlington, Newport, and Lubbock before they moved to Canyon in 1978. She was a reading specialist at Sundown Lane Elementary until her retirement in 1999, ending a 40-year teaching career. Elaine was a dedicated member of the University Church of Christ where she was active in the Ladies Bible Study. She was a devout student of the word and loved, taught, and definitely lived the Bible. Because of her kind and sweet spirit, people were naturally drawn to her. She had an innate way of making people realize their importance and was able to see the unseen in her students, making them see their worth and potential. Aside from supporting and following Duane in all his interests, she enjoyed gardening and was a wonderful painter, her specialty being watercolors. Music was an important part of who she was. She loved playing the piano, singing, and always had music playing. She also enjoyed being a member of Sweet Adelines while living in Lubbock. She had a deep appreciation for nature and celebrated God's creation continually. If you knew Elaine, you knew how extremely artistic and creative she was, going to great lengths to fashion lesson plans and biblical timelines to enhance learning. She was greatly loved and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, four siblings, Merwyn McCulley, Berna Lowe, Patricia Ochoa, and August Plate, and her husband of almost 49 years, Duane Neill. Survivors include her son, Derek Neill and wife, Charleine of Canyon; her daughter, Jennifer Hataway and husband, Jayson of Borger; and seven grandchildren, Ashley, Bella, Jake, Avery, Dawson, Katie, and Caison. The family suggests memorials be to the University Church of Christ Quilting Ministry, PO Box 427, Canyon, TX 79015.