Pamela Neff

Pamela Neff passed away Saturday, February 13, 2021. A memorial service for family and friends honoring Pamela's life will be held on Monday, February 22, at 2:00 p.m. in the First Presbyterian Church sanctuary. The family asks that those in attendance wear masks and socially distance and for those who are unable to attend the service, it will be live-streamed on Facebook. A Presbyterian creed that influenced her life is this: LIFE is a GIFT, meant to be accepted with gratitude And a TASK, meant to be pursued with courage. The first 50 years of Pam's life were part of the wonderful GIFT. Born in 1946 to Zama Blanchard McArthur and Moral Randall McArthur, they lived in Cody, Wyoming for 13 years. Randy McArthur is her brother. She had to adjust from the wild west to the gracious south, from "yea" to "yes, Ma'am" and from "nope" to "No, sir!" She adjusted. Her degree from Louisiana State University was in sociology, and she did case work for ADC (Aid to Dependent Children). She taught 7th, 8th and 9th grade English, and in 1969, she married Robert Neff, Jr., who was her Sunday School teacher. She can be quoted that this was the "best decision of my life!" They had three children, Zama Neff, an attorney (Brooklyn, NY); Robert Neff, III, a scientist (San Diego, CA); and Mary Virginia Neff, a musician (Abuja, Nigeria). When they were pursuing their individual lives, Pam was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. This turned out to be the TASK which was not to allow despair to rein. Hope reins over despair. For more than 20 years, she volunteered and especially loved teaching English as a second language. Pam always tried to comply with the wise advice of her doctor, Dr. Richard Zweig, and to be an example of courage while helping many other patients. She was very grateful for her husband, Bob, who learned to be a capable caregiver, and for their children who brought her so much joy, especially when the five grandchildren arrived! Pam tried to gratefully receive the gifts and courageously pursue the task! The family suggests any memorial gifts may be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 900 Jordan Street, Shreveport, LA 71101 or to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 1358 Broadway, New York, NY 10018.