Dr. Kelley Amanda Neal, 36, was called home on July 14, 2026, at a healthcare facility in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Born on September 11, 1989, at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ, Kelley was a radiant force of nature — funny, fierce, determined, and fearless. Of Dominican and African American heritage, she carried the richness of both cultures with grace and pride.
A graduate of Neptune High School (Class of 2007), Kelley went on to earn a certification in Medical Assistance from ACI Medical and Dental School and pursued Social Work studies at Georgian Court University. In a testament to her extraordinary impact, she was honored with an Honorary Doctorate from Church Beyond Walls — a title she wore with every ounce of the excellence she embodied.
Kelley built a life of immense purpose, serving as a Direct Support Professional at Community Options Inc., a Kidney Health Coach at the American Kidney Fund, an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics, and the proud owner of JakMonkee LLC. Her authorship of Still Here, A Woman Within Lupus was among her most courageous and powerful acts — a book born from her personal health journey that gave voice and hope to countless others. Her face graced the Biogen Lupus Disease Awareness Campaign, the front cover of K.I.S.H. Magazine as one of the Top 12 Trailblazers on the Move, and billboards across New York City and Florida. She was a guest on the Black Successful Women podcast and a devoted sister of the Millionaire Mindset Sisterhood, NJ Station, since 2020.
A faithful woman, Kelley was christened on March 17, 1990, and in her adult years attended Greater Hope Sanctuary in Neptune City, NJ. She loved to travel, explore new restaurants, capture life through photography, plan unforgettable events, and arrange flowers — a passion first kindled in a middle school floral arrangement course that never left her.
She leaves to cherish her memory her loving mother, Cresencia Mella; her beloved son, Germaine Sims Jr.; her oldest sister, Jessica Neal; her youngest brother, Felipe Estrada; her maternal grandmother, Wilhermina Lang; and her paternal grandmother, Doris McCleave. She was preceded in death by her father, Reginald Neal.
