Obituary of Neal King Cheek

Neal King Cheek, loving husband, devoted father, and dear friend to many, passed away at age 82, on December 13, 2024, at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Neal was born in Asheboro, NC on April 14,1942 to Waldo Clayton Cheek and Evelyn King Cheek. After graduating from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, Neal attended Wake Forest University where he graduated cum laude. After serving in the US Army in both Fort Bragg, NC and Saigon, Vietnam, Neal returned to North Carolina and continued his academic studies. He received his master’s degree in student Personnel Services from the University of South Carolina and his PhD in Higher Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 Neal dedicated his professional life to education and public service, serving as the Assistant Secretary of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1973 to 1979, Director of Student Services in the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1979 to 1990, and Assistant Director of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority from 1990 to 1996.

Neal’s commitment to service extended beyond his military and professional life. He was a founding board member and long-time volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Orange County, North Carolina and served on the Board of Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina. After his retirement, Neal volunteered tirelessly for the state chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where he was honored with numerous accolades including the Earth Day Award, the North Carolina Conservation Leadership Award, and an award of Outstanding Service and Contributions. For these and other volunteer efforts, Neal was awarded the Orange County Key Volunteer Service Award.

Neal was a faithful member of Binkley Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, since 1970, where he served several terms on the Diaconate. He also served on numerous committees, including the Long-Range Planning Council, Board of Outreach, Transition Committee, Salary and Benefits Committee, and Personnel Relations Committee.

Neal was known for his love of family, enjoyment of travel and sailing, gentle spirit, keen sense of humor, and voracious curiosity about every person he met. He never met a stranger - he was truly, earnestly interested in any detail he could gather and charmed so many with his kind nature and warm smile.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Nancy Williams Cheek; son Clayton Williams Cheek (Jody); daughter, Anna King Cheek (Joe Corron); and granddaughters, Addie, Mary Neal, and Winnie Cheek. Neal also leaves behind his brothers-in-law, David Russell Williams (Mary Jane), Walter Frederick Williams, Jr. (Susan), and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Waldo, and Evelyn Cheek.

A service to celebrate Neal’s life will be held at Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Saturday, December 21, at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The North Carolina chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Neal's legacy of kindness, service, and community involvement will continue to inspire all who knew him.

Arrangements are in the care of Walker’s Funeral Homes in Chapel Hill, NC. Online condolences may be shared at https://www.walkersfuneralservice.com.