July 26, 2025, 65, Goldsboro —-
Cornelius Edmundson, known as “Neal,” by his loved ones and friends, was born on July
29, 1959, to the late Mae Hazel (Edmundson) Franklin in Fremont, NC, along with his twin
sister, Demetrice. He was educated in the Wayne County Public School System. His
grandmother, Helen Edmundson, played a significant part in raising him and his sister. Neal
worked various jobs until he was established as disabled. He spent a great deal of his life in
Fremont and Pikeville. However, he occasionally traveled out of state with his uncle, MacArthur,
to New York, New Jersey, Georgia, and South Carolina, which required some effort to get him to
travel. As a youngster, Neal could dance, yes, he could throw down. Shortie and Johney Lee
Alston nicknamed him “James Brown” because he could mimic him to the tee.
Cornelius was preceded in death by his parents, Mae Hazel (Edmundson) Franklin, his
stepfather, Ben Franklin, and his twin sister, Demetrice Edmundson.
He left three sisters to mourn – Kim Franklim of Wilson, NC, Arneda Sutton of Zebulon,
NC, and Anita P. Smith of Roosevelt, NY; two brothers, Leo Franklin of Snow Hill, NC, and
Darryl Exum of Riverside CA; two aunts, Carolyn (Edmundson) Ingram of Pikeville, NC, Annie
Delorse (Edmundson) Cox of Fremont, NC; four uncles, Ronnie Edmundson of the home in
Pikeville, NC, MacArthur Edmundson (Shirley) of Fayetteville, NC, Larry Edmundson of
Goldsboro, NC, and Hayward Edmundson of Fremont, NC; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins,
and other relatives and friends; and special acknowledgements goes to his aunt Vivian Coley for
her many days of spiritual guidance, the entire Alston family as lifelong friends, and Mike Pike
as a special friend.
