Joseph Louis Neys JR

Joseph Louis Neys, Jr. passed away unexpectedly on Friday, April 14th, 2023 at his home in St. Paul, Oregon at the age of 69. “Joey” was born on January 11, 1954 in Heppner, Oregon to Joseph and Helen (Buher) Neys of Condon, Oregon. He attended Condon Schools, graduating in 1972, and went on to earn his Associate’s degree from Mt. Hood Community College in Automotive Parts Management. He put his degree to use right away, working for M & A Auto Parts in Condon and, later, Greenline John Deere in The Dalles. Joe met Becky Newman when her parents moved to Condon in 1975. They were married November 12, 1977 in St. John’s Catholic Church in Condon, making their first home in The Dalles. They welcomed two children, Cari and Bryan, before a job change led them to St. Paul in 1985. Their third child, Emily, was born soon after. Joe worked as a salesman and managed the hardware department for Ernst Hardware from 1985 to 2001. An opportunity to become a partner in Brooks True Value Hardware came in 2001. He would own and manage this store until his retirement in 2017. While he enjoyed having more time off, he found pleasure in not being the boss anymore and took a part-time job doing parts deliveries for Wilson’s Napa Auto Parts. One constant through all this transition was his 36 years of refereeing high school basketball. When asked who won the game that night, he would always respond with “We did!”. In addition to refereeing, Joe had a passion for sports, coaching youth, and helping to build successful programs in his community. He was a natural teacher and probably taught many lessons when he didn’t even know he was teaching them. Retirement brought more time to travel. A cruise through the Panama Canal had always been high on his list and he and Becky finally took that trip in February. Joe also had a goal to visit as many National Parks as he could, marking off Yosemite just last month. Other hobbies he enjoyed throughout his life included camping, hiking, skiing, golfing, gardening, reading, singing, home improvement projects, and playing games with his friends and family. Favorites were Five Crowns and Aggravation. And don’t forget his love for Oregon State sports. If there was a game on, he would be watching it. Go Beavs!!! A life-long member of the Catholic Church, Joe was a man of quiet faith, believed in service to others, and led by example. His good nature and sense of humor resulted in friendships too numerous to count. He found joy in simple pleasures. All he really needed was a cold beer in his hand and good company to share it with. It is hard to put into words the vast impact he had on this world. His legacy lives on in everyone he met. Joe is survived by his wife, Becky, of 45 years, and children Cari (Doug) Naugle of Shaw, OR, Bryan (Kate) Neys of Kirkland, WA, and Emily Neys of Sublimity, OR. The self-proclaimed “Oldest & Wisest” brother is also survived by his siblings and their spouses: Margaret (Norm) Cox, Kathy (Randy) Hove, David (Andrea) Neys, Mary (Mark) Mitchell, and John (Lucinda) Neys, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents and his youngest brother, Mike. Donations in Joe’s memory can be made to St. Paul Fire District, St. Paul Youth Sports Organization, or St. Paul Parish.

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Joseph Louis Neys JR

January 11, 1954 - April 14, 2023