John David Allan Neil

6 Things he has learned from life:

1. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true and he makes the next life possible for us.

2. Life is worth living and prepares us for a better place here after, so I keep trying to improve myself daily.

3. Life is a school, and learning something new helps make each day exciting.

4. No man is an island; everyone’s decisions in some way affect our own especially in married life.

5. Acts of compassion and kindness to others help minimize our own problems.

6. We harvest we plant. Freedom of choice come with freedom with responsibility for the consequences of those choices.

Obituary of John David Allan Neil:

John David Allan Neil and his younger brother Stephen Andrew were raised by a widowed mom, Muriel Ruth Moody Neil, for thirteen years. He was born in Toronto Canada, on 2/17/41, when he was three, his dad John David Neil died, torpedoed in Halifax Harbour. 2 years later Ruth was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The Spirit directed them to move west, to Idaho where Ruth married his step dad Marvin Tolman, and moved to Montana to start his own butcher shop. Now John had 4 more siblings from Marvin’s first wife, Faye, Merlon, Lola and Boyd . He got into Scouts where a great leader helped him get his EAGLE.

He took Accordion lessons, and taught himself piano waiting for people after church practicing the Hymns; and started loving math, and science in school, hands on learning. He went to Boys State where they elected him Chaplin because he did kneeling prayers by his bed at night. He also slept through an earth quake that made Quake Lake.

The piano helped me on my mission to Peru, 1961 to 1963, as a pianist. Then on to Civil Engineering at BYU where he met wife Ann Marie Hamlin. Their first child Kristen Jean was an only child for 12 years, except for various foster children. So, we adopted 3 siblings from El Salvador: Carlos 4, Annie 7, and Jenny 9 for a more permanent family.

Great dad: and provider, working for UDOT for 36 years, wise counselor, webelos helper with cub-annapolis jeep, carpentry with daughter Annie’s dresser; Kristen’s gymnastic expenses, fishing and camping. Music lesson provider, Violin, piano and accordion.

Friday night dates Sq Dancing or stake dances. A wonderful husband, always trying to please Ann. He took me to Hawaii 3 times and on a Tahitian Cruise at his retirement, where he demonstrated the most beautiful expression of love when he bought me an expensive Blue-Black pearl. When I heard the price of that pearl I had chosen as the most amazing, elegant, artistic piece of jewelry I’d ever seen, I was sadly willing to take a photo of the one that got away, and focus on counting my blessings as I walked back to the launch, even though at first, I felt like I was leaving a friend behind. I’d never see that beauty again. But, then, when I was dressing for dinner, I saw this little box on my pillow. When I opened it, my jaw dropped, It was MY PEARL. I did not express one complaint (can’t afford, too expensive etc.) I just sat down and cried and then went over to give him a big hug and kiss and THANK YOU.“I thought I saw a certain Affinity between you and that pearl,” he calmly said.

His favorite movies are Sound of Music and Ten Commandments.

A viewing will be held on Friday, April 3, 2026 from 10:00 to 10:45 AM followed by the funeral service at 11:00 AM at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State Street, Midvale, Utah. Interment to follow services at Midvale City Cemetery, 450 West 7500 South, Midvale, Utah.