Frankie Lois McNeil - Bright

Mrs. Frankie Lois McNeil – Bright  73, of Charlotte, NC. passed away Sunday October 29, 2017 at Regency Assisted Living Charlotte, NC.Funeral service will be held Saturday November 4, 2017 at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church 7237 Tuckaseegee Rd. Charlotte, NC 28214. Visitation will begin at 11:30 am and the service will follow at 12:00 pm. Interment will take place at the Charlotte Memorial Gardens.7632 Hood Rd. Charlotte, NC 28215

Frankie Lois McNeil-Bright departed this earthly life on October 29, 2017.  Frankie was the second child of seven children born to the union of Samuel Sylvester McNeil, Sr. and Mary Eunice Jackson McNeil of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Always a talented and smart student, Frankie graduated with honors from West Charlotte Senior High School and from North Carolina Central University (formerly North Carolina College) in Durham, North Carolina, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology.  She later returned to North Carolina Central University and earned a Master of Arts Degree in Social Work on an academic assistantship.

Frankie was a very fun-loving, people person, and her choice of a career was in keeping with her personality.  She worked for a while in social work administration in Miami, Florida, but later followed her heart and worked for many years as a Youth Probation Officer in the District of Columbia Court System.  She really enjoyed working with the youth and encouraged them to turn their lives around.  Although she was playful and caring with them, she was also a strict disciplinarian and demanded that they “tow the line” in following through on their probation requirements.  Frankie received numerous awards and citations for her efforts to make a difference in the lives of youth.  She ended her career serving as the Director of Probations of the District of Columbia’s District Court.

Although Frankie never had any biological children with her husband of twenty-seven years, Rodney Bright, she always became an instrumental force of love and influence in the lives of her nieces, nephews, stepchildren, and friends’ children.  You could count on her to never forget to send birthday, graduation, Christmas, and any other special occasion gifts to her large contingent of “godchildren”.   She literally spoiled everyone’s children because they could count on Aunt Frankie to come through on what they wanted when their parents had sounded a “no” to their requests.  Frankie made it a point to find the gift that each child really wanted.  Her gifts always hit the mark!

Frankie was a dedicated Christian and was an active member of Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church In Washington,  DC where she served as the financial secretary  for many years.  Frankie also served on the Evangelism committee, ushered, and was Chairman of the Nominating committee.  After her health failed, Frankie relocated to Charlotte to be close to family.

Well-loved by her family and friends, Frankie maintained long and lasting relationships with friends from every facet of her life, including her very special friends, Barbara Stokes of Forestville, Maryland; Doris Nixon Rutherford of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Christine Clifton Dixon of Atlanta, Georgia; Marilyn Koontz McIntosh of Beaumont, Texas; Eloise Liddell of Accokeek, Maryland; Beverlyn Brown of Ft Washington, MD; Rozella Glass of Clinton, MD; and members of her beloved club, the Forestville Maryland  Chapter of Las Amigas, Inc., of which she was a charter member.

Frankie was preceded in death by her parents (Samuel and Mary McNeil), husband (Rodney Bright) and brother-in-law (James M. Flournoy, Sr., Esq.).  She is survived by her siblings:  Ann McNeil Harris Turner (Willie), Jacqueline McNeil Watts (Marcia), Patricia Lane McNeil (Freddie), Samuel Sylvester McNeil, Jr. (Ruth), of Charlotte, North Carolina; Mary Joyce McNeil Flournoy of Atlanta, Georgia, and Shelia McNeil Dalcoe of Greensboro, North Carolina; “god sibling” Sheron Patterson (Robert) of Dallas, Texas; one aunt, Wanda Jackson of Charlotte, North Carolina; stepchildren:  Tonitia Langley (George), Daemon Waller, and Dootz Waller of Ayden, North Carolina, and Shantae Streeter (Benjamin) of Douglasville, Georgia; two sisters-in-law:  Ernestine Rodgers (McArthur) of Ayden, North Carolina, and Roberta Johnson (Clayton) of Springfield, Massachusetts; nieces and nephews: Mechell Harris, Vernon Johnson (Tara) Vyasia Johnson, Tamani Johnson, Samuel McNeil, III, (Semonna)  Samuel McNeil, IV, Joshua McNeil, Christopher McNeil, Lauren McNeil, and Grayson Jones of Charlotte, North Carolina; James Morris Flournoy, Jr., (Maria)  Aiden Flournoy, and Falon Flournoy of Hoover, Alabama; Joseph Flournoy of Atlanta, Georgia; Robert Patterson, Jr. and Robin Patterson of Dallas Texas, and many other cousins and friends.

The family is requesting that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Charlotte Hospice Palliative Care, 1420 E.7^th St., Charlotte, NC 28204.