Houston Edward McNeal, 82, died in the care of Hospice in Winchester on May 5, 2015.  He was born on March 11, 1933 in Bremo Bluff, Virginia to Gladys and Andrew Houston McNeal.  He graduated from Fluvanna County High School in 1953.  In September 1956, he began his career as a Trooper with the Virginia State Police.  Upon finishing the State Police School, he was assigned  as a Trooper to Loudoun County.  His work area also included Fauquier County and a portion of Prince William County.  He served this area as a trooper for 18 years.  He was then assigned as an Investigator with the Major Crimes Division working out of State Police Headquarters in Richmond.

In that position, he later was assigned to the Leviticus Project task force, which was composed of police agencies from Virginia, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, New York and Georgia.   He became “deep undercover” with an assumed name and social security number.  He primarily worked on major crimes connected with the stealing of heavy mining equipment and drug related activities in the Appalachian Region.  At the conclusion of his undercover work, he was credited with the arrest of several former high ranking Kentucky police and judicial officials.  During this period he was also on loan to the FBI for a while.  For this he received a commendation from former FBI Director William H. Webster.  In 1988, he was one of Parade Magazine’s finalists for their Policeman of the Year Award.

His last assignment with the State Police was as a Sergeant in the Investigative Unit at the Salem Division Office, Salem, Virginia.  He retired in the spring of 1995 with 38 ½ years of service.  After his retirement, he moved to Stuarts Draft, Virginia where he lived until his death.

He is survived by a daughter, Susan McNeal Adamson, and her husband, Anthony (Tony) Adamson, and grandchildren Brie Wellman, Travis Adamson and MacKenzie Adamson all of Winchester, Virginia.  He also leaves a sister, Betty Direnzo and 2 brothers, Earl and Frederick of Ohio. Also, a special young man whom he helped raise, Arry Weeks.

He was of the Methodist faith and a Master Mason of the Masonic Lodge.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 1:00 p.m., at Greenwood United Methodist Church in Winchester, VA with Pastor Andy Brock officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork Street, Winchester, VA  22601.