Maj. (Ret.) Neal Washington

April 25, 1948 – Oct. 7, 2026

Maj. (Ret.) Neal Lewis Washington, 78, passed away Oct. 7, 2026 in Haymarket, Va.

Neal was born April 25, 1948 in Chanute, to Neal Wayne and Helen (Newman) Washington. He grew up in Iola, where he excelled in both school and athletics. Neal developed an affinity for mathematics, played the trumpet, and competed in baseball, basketball, and track. In high school, Neal met the love of his life, Alice Marie Cheney of Humboldt, Kan. Together they attended Allen County Community College and Wichita State University, where Neal studied civil engineering. Neal and Alice were married on July 31, 1971.

Shortly after their wedding, Neal enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 1973, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Field Artillery, beginning a career that would span more than 20 years.

Over those years, Neal served in several officer positions, including battery commander and battalion S3. He completed multiple courses in Field Artillery, including the Lance Missile Cadre course. His decorations include the Meritorious Service medal, three Army Commendation medals, three Army Good Conduct medals, two National Defense Service medals, two Armed Forces Reserve medals, the Army Service ribbon, and three Overseas Service ribbons.

Neal spent more than eight years in overseas service. During his military career, Neal and Alice traveled the world and made homes in Germany, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Hawaii, and Virginia.

Along the way, they welcomed two sons, Christopher and Tracy.

Neal retired from the Army as a Major at Fort Sill, Oklahoma on May 31, 1992. He continued his education by earning an MBA in finance from Oklahoma City University. Neal’s love of numbers guided him throughout his career, and it was at Cameron University that Neal discovered his true calling: teaching mathematics. Neal enthusiastically shared his passion for math with thousands of students. A dedicated instructor, he taught college algebra and statistics, managed the university’s math lab, and established weekend workshops on how to navigate the complexity of using a graphing calculator.

Neal’s love of math was second only to that of his love for his family. He was a caring son, protective brother, immeasurably loving husband, tender providing father, and an extremely proud grandfather. Neal was quiet and intelligent, yet a masterful storyteller whose words would prompt one to learn or to laugh.

Neal was preceded in death by his father, Neal W. Washington. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Alice Washington of Gainesville, Va.; his parents, Helen and Spencer Ambler of Iola, Kan.; his son and daughter-in-law, Col. (Ret.) Christopher D. N. Washington and Danette Carmona-Washington of Aldie, Va.; his son, Dr. Tracy A. Washington of Cambridge, Mass.; his sister, Kathryn Jukes of Miami, Fla.; his sister, Jennifer Carter of Bowie, Md., and his grandchildren, SSG Tyra L. Hook, Christopher A. Washington, and Morgan D Washington, all of Aldie, Va.

A funeral service with full military honors will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Quantico National Cemetery in Triangle, Va.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in memory of Neal L. Washington be made to the Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation (AAMDSIF) and earmarked for MDS research at https://aamds.org/donate.