Claudia Mae Alexander was born May 23, 1935, in Chidester, Arkansas to King and Maggie Williams Alexander. She was the fourth of eight children born to that union.

She was a graduate of Shorter College North Little Rock, Arkansas, University of Arkansas (A&M college), Pine Bluff, Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Master's degree from the Emporia State University, Emporia, Ks, and Doctorate credit hours from Wichita State University.

Claudia worked as a high school teacher in Belvins, AR for 7 years. She married and had two children, Demetria and Charlotte. She divorced and moved her little family to Wichita, ks. There she worked at Beech Aircraft company until she joined Wichita USD 259 as an elementary school teacher, later specializing in Reading, and as an adult educator through Dunbar school and Wichita Vocational Technical School. She met and married Joe Neal in Wichita, Ks.

She was an active member of Greater St. Mary's Baptist Church and later Holy Savior Catholic Church. Claudia's favorite activities were gardening, making jellies and jams, traveling and baking with her grandchildren and great grandchild. Once she retired, she enjoyed helping other senior people, volunteering at the Lord's Diner and warming souls. Claudia was a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. She and her brother Lee were known dor driving throughout Wichita scouting for "deals".

Claudia is proceeded in death by her parents and 6 siblings, Udell Stockwell, Idell Shaver, Samuel Alexander, Emma Jean Alexander, Bennie Jean Peters and Lee Edward Alexander. She leaves to honor and cherish her memory; her husband of 38 years, Joe Neal, brother James Alexander, Rockford, IL, daughters Demetria Parks and Charlotte Mitchell, stepsons Albert Stephens and Sydney Boswell, grandchildren, Anthony, Barry, Brittany, Tarik, Sean and Skylar, and great grandchildren, Lailah, brothers-in-law, johnnie (Carlene) Neal, James Neal, and Herman Peters and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.