Region 6 People - Catherine Neal

	Catherine Lola (Bailey) Neal February 14, 1934 - September 21, 2013 by Ray Houston with assistance from Catherine Ladybug Story by Theresa (Gage) Neal
		Hemerocallis 'Catherine Neal' (Jack Carpenter, 1981)

Catherine Lola (Bailey) Neal was born February 14, 1934, in Harris County, Texas, to James Luther Bailey and Lillian Edna (Wunderlich) Bailey.

In 1948, Catherine received her first daylily, Hemerocallis fulva, from her Grandparents William A. and Katie (Strack) Wunderlich of Spring, Texas. Klein High School offered summer credits in Home Economics, and one of the courses for additional credits was yard beautification. Catherine used her grandparent's daylily in her 4-H yard beautification project.

Catherine married James Clifford "J. C." Neal in 1954, who was serving in the Army. They had three children - Thomas Dwayne "Tommy D.", born January 10, 1957; Ronald "Ron" Wayne, born December 1, 1958; and Janice Kay, born July 29, 1968.

In 1957, Catherine purchased her first pink daylilies from Russell Daylily Farm, in north Houston on I-45. Those daylilies were moved to Strack Road where the Neals built their home.

In 1963, J. C., Catherine, and sons Tommy and Ron, moved to portion of Catherine's parent's homestead. A tract of land on the corner of Strack and Wunderlich Drive was purchased from Catherine's mother, Lillian. The land has been in farming or ranching since 1888 and has been in Catherine's family ever since. It was the inherited property of her Grandmother Katie (Strack) Wunderlich. Her Grandmother gave each of her ten children four acres. J. C. and Catherine purchased approximately one acre (less because of deeded right away for Wunderlich Drive which was named for Catherine's Grandfather). Catherine's parents built a log cabin on the property, and that is where Catherine was raised with four siblings.

In the late 1960s, Jack Carpenter moved to Strack Road, and the Neals loaned him their tiller to break up his newly acquired land. Jack had an interest in all kinds of different plants at that time. When Jack saw MacMillan and Spalding daylilies, his interest switched to daylilies. Catherine learned from Jack about the daylily gardens in Louisiana, and in 1969, J. C., Catherine, and their baby daughter, Janice, visited two of the Louisiana gardens and purchased daylilies.

In 1973, Catherine developed a memory garden to honor her great-great-grandparents, Jacob and Friedricka (Mittelsteadt) Strack. Jacob came from Prussia (Germany) with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Friedrich Strack, to settle in the Klein Community.

Catherine joined the Houston Hemerocallis Society in late 1979. She was very active in the club and served as club historian for many years. For over 20 years, Catherine exhibited educational displays at the annual flower shows for the Houston Hemerocallis Society, Houston Area Daylily Society, and 18 years for the Greater Houston Chrysanthemum Society.

In 1981, Jack Carpenter registered H. 'Catherine Neal'. In 1991, this daylily won the American Hemerocallis Society Eugene S. Foster Award. This award is presented for outstanding late-blooming cultivars.

An active historian, Catherine wrote a series of Strack Road Journals - historical accounts of the Klein Independent School District residents; and in 1989, she interviewed seniors and wrote a short history of the Trinity Lutheran Church (1872-1989).

Catherine worked hard to document the history, 1953-present, of the Houston Hemerocallis Society, and she also worked on the Houston Area Daylily Society history.

Catherine was honored as the recipient of the Houston Hemerocallis Society, Bertha Ella Cone Award in1998 and 2011, presented annually in recognition of exemplary service and dedication.

Catherine passed away September 21, 2013 and is greatly missed by all who called her, friend.