James (Jim) Robert Nealley was born September 26, 1952 in Oakland, California. He was the only son of James Everett Nealley.
He grew up in San Jose, California and graduated from Leigh High School. He served an LDS mission to Bolivia and taught the Imatta Indians. Upon returning from his mission, he met his wife Roseann Marten. They dated for a couple weeks before getting engaged. They both enrolled in Ricks College in Idaho where Jim graduated with a degree in the fall of 1976. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on Oct. 18, 1975.
Jim and Roseann were blessed with five children and moved multiple times around the western United States before coming to reside in Globe, Arizona, where they have lived for the past 27 years. Jim took up the profession of meat cutting while in Idaho. He started working at the meat packing house where he became a journeyman meat cutter. Jim worked for several employers until he stopped to help Mr. Smith, one of the owners of Smith’s Food and Drug, who was stranded on the side of the road. He found out that Jim was a meat cutter and he hired him on the spot. Jim spent 11 years working for Smith’s. He came to Globe when Smith’s opened a store here. After Smith’s was bought out by Fry’s, Jim went to work for Costco, where he was a long-time employee of 23 years. Through his daily travels to and from work, he was frequently stopping to help those who were stranded. He was always working and stepping up to be of service to anyone who was in need. He lived by the principle of see a need, fill a need. He was selfless and shared everything he had including his love and kindness with all who crossed his path.
Jim was a spiritual man who lived his life according to his belief in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and was faithful in following the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Every day was lived as a testament of his faith and his dedication to the Lord.
He will be greatly missed by all who were blessed to know him.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his first granddaughter, Kaytlynn Rose Mikeworth.
He is survived by his wife, Roseann and his children Bonnie Rose and her husband Ray Bird; James Theodore Nealley and his wife Katrien; Teresa Marie Knez; Marten Grant Nealley and his wife Amber; Marie Katherine and her husband Harold Thompson; grandchildren Dustin, Aubrey, and Gabriel Mikeworth; Bryan and Axl Nealley; Sierra, Ive, and Anthony Knez; Alina and Ariana Nealley.
Services were held on Saturday, June 2, 2018.
