“Deutschland ist die nummer eins in der welt.” – “Germany is number one in the world!” is what you’d hear from Neal Alexander Worpel when Germany played soccer and there wasn’t a game he missed. Neal was born in Kelkheim, Germany on June 11, 1972 and his parents, Andreas and Liesbeth, afforded their children the experience to see the world as they traveled for Andreas’ career. Neal, along with older brother Dirk, and younger siblings, Fiona and Julien, called places such as Germany, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Korea home.
In school, Neal donned the #3 on his jerseys as he excelled in his position of goalie on the soccer team, and setter when playing volleyball. After graduating in 1990 from Seoul International High School in South Korea, he came to the United States when accepted into the business program at Beloit College in Wisconsin. Here, he was treasurer for TKE Fraternity, and is where he also met another international student, from Turkey, Ozlem Ozkonuksever. The pair stayed in contact, and after Neal graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and a minor in International Relations, he joined Ozlem in Turkey where the pair shared marriage vows on September 7, 1995.
Like his father, Neal had a flare for languages and picked up the Turkish dialect quickly and after a short stint at selling socks, he began looking for a better opportunity and found what became a rewarding sales career with Cargill Turkey as a Tallow merchant. Here he utilized his education and through this, met clients with whom he established lifelong relationships.
2003 was a year that brought his biggest achievements, as twins Isabella “Naz” and Andreas “Cem” joined the Worpel team. This pair lit up his life and with these additions, he and Ozlem set out for new adventures which came in the form of a transfer, back to the US, in 2006 to Cargill Meat Solutions in Wichita, Kansas. Neal spent 19 years with Cargill before becoming Senior Trading Manager with RCH Enterprises Inc. in 2016.
The words thoughtful, supportive, and caring are just a few to describe a man who also brought humor to into all he did. Neal was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, and friend to anyone he met.
Thankfully, his best friend Ozlem was beside him as he peacefully came to rest on December 2, 2020 in Wichita.
If you are unable to join us in person for Neal’s service please connect with us via the livestream which will be available for viewing on the Lakeview Funeral Home and Lakeview Cemetery Facebook page or you may use the “Join Livestream,” tab under Services, on Neal’s obituary page. The link will go live 5 minutes before the service.
In lieu of Flowers, donations may be made in Neal’s honor to Action Against Hunger – a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger.
https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/donate/save-lives-end-hunger.
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