William "Bill" Richard Neville

A beautiful mind is a terrible thing to waste, especially one so intelligent and kind. That’s what happened to Bill due to brain cancer, Glioblastoma Multiform grade 4, in just a few short months.
William Richard Neville died June 23, 2018. He was 64 years old. After working so hard and loving what he did his whole life, he was “lucky” enough to enjoy just 8 short months of an early retirement before learning of this horrible disease.
Bill’s love of electronics began in Idaho Falls where he grew up. It was there he became involved with Amateur radio. He earned his Novice ham radio license and eventually his General Class license which gave him his call sign WA7KMF. He worked for the television station KID in Idaho Falls doing technician work behind the camera until he moved to Logan to attend USU in their electrical engineering program. His radio broadcasting experience enabled him to find work as an announcer (Wild Bill Neville) at KVNU. Soon he was helping with engineering work at the radio station, and eventually served as Chief Engineer for KVNU. He started his own business, Cache Communications, where he did all kinds of commercial repairs and installs for fire and law enforcement. He also worked for the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, where he met his wife, Lana. He moved on to Motorola as a radio technician which led to work with Crescent Communications for several years where he was the Systems Engineer, and then for a decade was General Manager in charge of all the SMR’S for the Western United States. Bill finished his working career for Dominion Energy (Questar) as one of the Lead Telecommunication’s Engineer. Bill worked on radio systems, traveling much of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. His travels took him up beautiful mountain peaks via 4x4 trucks, snow cats and helicopters. He enjoyed getting to know all the people that make an energy company function. “Papa Smurf” as Bill would affectionately become known, was a welcome guest in his travels, and all enjoyed his company. He took an early retirement last April.
Throughout all this time, he was also actively involved with the local ham radio operators, Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club (BARC). They were building and installing ham radio repeater systems in the Cache Valley area. Through Bill’s commercial radio work, Bill was able to provide contacts to gain access to mountain top sites and
used repeater equipment which were used for establishing mountain top repeater systems for the amateur radio service. He led efforts of local hams and the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club to build multiple repeater systems and get them installed at various mountain top sites, all linked together which provided communications all along the Wasatch Front from Provo to Cache Valley, and Bear Lake area to Southern Idaho. His demand for excellence in the repeater system fabrication and performance made the system one to be proud of! He procured equipment for the effort and donated hundreds of hours in building, testing, and installing all these repeater systems, never seeking praise or any financial compensation for his efforts. When amateur radio began to utilize digital radio formats, again, Bill was in the forefront of the technology, buying digital repeater systems and installing them alongside other repeaters already in operation. His knowledge of communication techniques, radio equipment, and repeater systems, was unparalleled. For his exceptional service and countless other reasons, the current president of the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club, Ted McArther, who is also the current trustee of the 146.72 Mount Logan repeater, has assigned Bill’s call sign to the repeater as an HONOR to Bill and in recognition of Bill’s commitment to amateur radio and for his exceptional service.
Several friends have expressed so much about what Bill did for them. One friend, Brad Reaveley, stated Bill was the most caring and loving person one would ever come across. He was just so knowledgeable! Brad said that he had a project he was working on for a sawmill in Southern Idaho. He was so stumped on what type of information cable that he could use that would withstand very high temperatures. Brad had called all the supply houses and no one knew what type of cable or connectors to use. He called Bill, and within 24 hours, Bill had sent a link on what cable and connectors to use and where to get them. Brad was able to not only get the job done before the deadline but also saved a lot of money as well. If it wasn’t for Bill, he would’ve been up the creek without a paddle! Another dear friend, Brent Yeates, said Bill was his Google search.
Bill was preceded in death by his Father, William Moroni Neville and his Mother, Ada Womack Neville. He is survived by his Wife Lana; two Daughters, Katie Neville, and Mindy (Steve) Robins; Two precious Grandchildren, Porter and Jonas Robins. Bill was the most Christian-like person one would ever meet. We love him and will miss him so much!
Funeral Services are under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary , 34 East Center, Logan, Ut. A viewing will be held on Thursday, June 28 from 6 to 8 pm at Allen-Hall Mortuary. The funeral will be held at Allen-Hall Mortuary on Friday, June 29, at Noon, with a viewing before from 10:30 to 11:30. Interment will be at the Logan City Cemetery.
A special thanks to all those who assisted Bill in his hour of need; IHC Hospice, especially Gabby and Kelley, and Maple Springs with all the wonderful Nurses and CNA’s I grew to love, from the Assisted Living side to the Skilled Nursing side. Thank you all so much!