Roy Neil Pasley

Roy Neil Pasley, age 85, of Pocatello, Idaho, passed away peacefully in his home on Friday, December 22, 2023. He was born September 18, 1938, in Ponca City, OK, to Joseph and Eva Pasley. He was the youngest of four sons. During his youth, he and his family lived in Oklahoma, California, Texas, and Idaho. He had fond memories of his youth in Oklahoma and was quick to tell anyone that he was an “Okie.” He told of when he and his brother Bill were trapping skunks, and they came home sprayed and carried the smell to school with them.

Roy attended Irving Jr. High and graduated from Pocatello High School. Though, he would say he only graduated because the teachers did not want him back. In actuality, he was very intelligent, just shy, and would rather flunk than participate. After graduating, he moved to Weskan, Kansas, where he worked construction with his brother Jack. It was here that he met Norma Rigor and they were married in Sharon Springs, Kansas, on June 15, 1959. When he married her, he was nineteen and took on the responsibility of a ready-made family of five kids.

He loved them as his own, and as they had two more kids, they successfully blended everyone into one BIG family. Shortly after, they moved to Quinter, KS, then to Goodland, KS, and then to Lincoln, KS. Their last move brought the family, including seven children, to Pocatello, ID. By now, he had overcome his shyness to a large degree, was put in charge of crews, and eventually started Pasley Construction Company. He enjoyed many outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, and camping. And he couldn’t talk about fun times without reflecting on our adventures in the indestructible Land Rover. He was a very talented woodworker who was always looking at how things were built. With the help of Norma, his family, and friends, he built a beautiful mountain home up Cub River outside Preston, Id., where they lived for over 20 years.

At the age of Forty, the best thing in his life happened. He accepts Jesus as his Savior. Like all things with Roy, he was all in. He would get up at 4 AM to study the Bible and memorize scriptures. For years, we could give him a subject, and he could tell you the verse. He became a warrior and ambassador for the Lord. If someone misrepresented the Bible, he was quick to correct it. He enjoyed taking men to coffee and teaching them the way to salvation. He was never shy about the Lord. In the depths of his dementia, he never forgot the Lord, and his eyes would light up when you started a conversation about Him.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Norma Rigor Snell Pasley; children, Ed Snell (Marguerite), Jeannie Neibaur (Paul), Elaine Lucas (Dan), Judy Snyder(Bob), Cindy Ulrigg (Alan), Kelly Cahoon (Dee), daughter-in-law Barbie Snell, 29 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, and Kitty, his four-legged shadow who was a great companion.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Eva Pasley, brothers Jack Pasley (Madonna), Paul Pasley (Linda), Bill Pasley (Darlene), son, Mark Snell, grandson Daniel McCaskill, great-grandchildren Eric Neibaur, Lauren Neibaur, and Payton McCaskill.

A memorial service will be held in spring/summer 2024, with details announced later. If you would like to be notified of these details, please email Ed (edsnell987@gmail.com) or Jeannie (jeannieneibaur@hotmail.com), and the family will let you know the date, time, and place.

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