Neal David Rosenthal

Neal David Rosenthal, age 42, passed peacefully on January 4, 2024, in Kannapolis, NC.  His mother Karen and his cherished friend Sima Grey held him in their loving arms. His family provided care for his pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed the day after Thanksgiving 2023 and progressed rapidly.

Neal was born 10/13/81 in Oxford, Ohio. He graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati (2000) and attended Miami University. Interested in culinary arts, he was employed as chef and restaurant manager. After a start in Ohio, he was drawn to far-flung locations. He provided daily meals for hundreds of workers at oil field camps in Alaska North Slope, South Dakota, and Texas. He expertly catered his own wedding in the Kenai Peninsula. He also worked in restaurants in the Virgin Islands, Alabama, and North Carolina.

For the past five years he was employed by 84 Lumber where he rose from warehouse worker to manager overseeing outbound shipping and logistics. His co-workers describe him as hard-working, reliable, and trustworthy.

He was a devoted father to his son Finn (13) and daughter Amelia (12) whom he loved beyond measure. He is also survived by their mother Stevi Powers Rosenthal (in Concord, NC), his mother Karen Rau Rosenthal (in Cincinnati), his father David W.  Rosenthal and stepmother Addie Rosenthal (in Oxford), his sister Lauren Stauffer (Ben) and nephew Sidney and niece Maxine (in Minneapolis), and aunts, uncles, six cousins and extended family in St. Louis, Chicago, Des Moines, and Seattle.

Neal shared his appreciation for nature and the outdoors with his children and friends. He enjoyed painting, sketching, and reading extensively in a far-reaching variety of subjects and genres. He had great curiosity about the world. He enjoyed chess, ice hockey, baseball, regional cuisines, camping, music, and current events. Neal was a unique, self-reliant individual who practiced minimalism. He will be remembered for his wit, intellect, love for adventure and his family, resourcefulness, and engaging conversations. Just two weeks prior to his cancer diagnosis he attended a mindfulness retreat. At the end of life, Neal was calm, brave, and taught those with him about feeling grateful for having lived. His love and spirit will be carried in our hearts always. He is deeply missed.

Neal’s Celebration of Life will be held in May in Concord.  In lieu of flowers, donations are much appreciated in support of his children and to help with medical expenses. Go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/nealrosenthal (find Go Fund Me Neal in Ways to Help). Do something kind for someone in love and gratitude.