FAYETTEVILLE — Neala

Mae Austin Stahl was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 29. 1928 in Piggott, Ark., to Nelson William and Lillian Mofield Austin. She moved to her Heavenly home on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 in Fayetteville, Ark. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She also devoted many decades of her life as a devoted teacher.

She was preceded in death by her husband, I. V “Doc” Stahl; her daughter, Rebecca “Becky” Melrose; one son-in-law: Gary Melrose; her parents; her siblings, Mary Katherine Templeton, Wanda Schultz, William Austin, and infant brother Gene Austin.

She is survived by her daughters, Elizabeth “Libby” Combs (Larry), and Martha Molina (Manolo “Noli”), all of Fayetteville, and Cynthia Barcome (Jeff) of Michigan. She is survived by seven grandchildren: Melissa Melrose, Clarissa Looper, Shannon Nickell, Mel Combs, Alon Terrell, Tony Terrell and Aiden Barcome; by 15 great-grandchildren: Andrew Rothman, Kylie Leasure, Dane, Sophia, and Olivia Nickell; Knox, Kennedy, Keaton Combs; Ruth Terrell, Noah and Olive Carroll; Lexie, Ella, Aaron, and Thomas Terrell; and 1 great-great-granddaughter: Aria Rothman. Additionally, she is survived by numerous nieces and nephews that she loved and cared for deeply, as they did her.

Services will be held at Irby-Mitchell Funeral Home in Rector, Ark., on Monday, March 8, 2021, at 1 p.m., with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will immediately follow the service at Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make donations in her honor, may donate to RHS Helping Hands online or at P.O. Box 153, Rector, Ark., 72461, or contribute to your local food bank, two causes that she supported. You may sign the condolence book at www.irbyfuneralhome.com.