Neil Kim Messenger, 64 of Boise, Idaho passed away on January 6, 2018 after a long painful battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis and complications associated with it. Neil was born July 14, 1953 in Concordia, Kansas to Clifford Wayne and Claudine (Stoner) Messenger. When Neil was young his family moved to Colorado where he learned carpentry skills from his father which served him well later in life as a master carpenter. He also learned to be a tremendously adaptive and creative mechanic from his grandfather and was able to translate those skills to repair farm and heavy equipment throughout his life. Neil served a mission for the LDS church in 1973 at the Arizona Tempe Mission where he would often find himself helping ranchers and farmers repair equipment and care for livestock. It was at this point that he gained an affinity for farming that would last the rest of his life. When Neil returned from his mission he married the love of his life and best friend Debra Kay Webster in Colorado Springs, CO on Oct. 7, 1977. Later in July 1979 they were sealed in the Manti Utah LDS Temple. Neil and Debra had 4 children and he loved being a father and teaching his family. Throughout this time Neil and Debra moved to work on a wide variety of farms throughout the west ensuring that their family had a tremendous amount of experience working with all manner of crops, livestock and people along the way. Later while their son was adapting to living with kidney disease Neil and Debra moved to Boise, Idaho where Neil became the foreman of a custom cabinet shop and this is where they stayed. Throughout this time Neil enjoyed having access to the mountains and regularly took his family to gather plants and mushrooms in support of the various university biology projects that he participated in. As his oldest son became a teenager he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Rheumatoid Arthritis that eventually took his life after it mangled his body. His testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and his commitment to his family was unwavering and helped him to live far beyond the limits of his body. Neil was preceded in death by his father Clifford D Wayne Messenger; and brother Kent Drew Messenger. He is survived by his wife; and his four children: Ezekiel Titus (Crystal) Messenger, Eve H Miller (Scott), Ted Andrew Messenger, Linus Newton Messenger. Neil is also survived by his mother Claudine, and siblings Sally (Bryan) Girts, Lucy Messenger, and Ira (Karen) Messenger. Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, January 13, at the LDS Church located at 6711 Northview St. in Boise with a viewing from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. prior to the services.
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