Pomroy Monroe Neighbors

Pomroy Monroe Neighbors

Sparks - Pomroy Monroe Neighbors, known to most as "Roy," passed on December 19, 2017 with family at his side. He is survived by his companion, Betsy Neighbors, his children Miles (Sami), Mickey (Cindy), Sonny (Darcy), Colleen (Jerry) and Patty; his step-children Cody (Jason), Nick (Joanna) and Patrick (Tayesa); and many grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His daughter Anne and son Tim predeceased him. Services will be held Friday, January 5 at 1:00pm at Mountain View Mortuary, 425 Stoker Ave. Reno, NV 89503.

Roy was born in Entiat, Washington on July 12 in the early 1920s. As a young man, Roy grew up in a variety of settings. As a very young person, Roy moved from Washington to Southern California, where he went to school at McKinley School for Boys. Roy would talk about his time playing sports there, as end on the football team. Roy would matriculate to San Bernadino High School for a period of time, prior to beginning his lifelong infatuation with the mountains of Nevada.

In 1939, Roy would come to live with the Ford Family where he began working at a miner at a young age. Undoubtedly this was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with mining—gold would be on his mind for the rest of his days. "When the mine comes in" would preface many future thoughts about all the things he wanted to do. All of his children and step-children were treated to many wonderful sunny days in the high mountain pine trees, short of breath as we soldiered behind him in our quest for gold nuggets!

Roy's days out at the mine be interrupted when the United States became involved in World War II. Too young to join up, Roy nevertheless enlisted in the Navy and embarked on the next great adventure of his lifetime: flying. Roy would become one of the first enlisted men to be trained to fly fighter planes for the Navy. Roy rose to the rank of Ensign during his time in the Navy in WWII, and returned to Tonopah and the mine when the war was over.

Roy's time as a distinguished Navy pilot wasn't over. He was recalled to the Navy during the Korean War, and continued to serve as a pilot. At the conclusion of his service in 1958, Roy was honorably discharged as a Senior Lieutenant, having had a distinguished career and risen high above his humble beginnings as the minor miner from Tonopah.

By the end of 1958, Roy began what would be a long and storied career serving the people of Nye County. He began as a deputy at the Test Site, a position that would pave the way to many big changes for Nye County, in addition to providing interesting bric a brac, such as radioactive ash trays he would keep around the house. Around 1962 Roy was working as an assessor for Nye County, and began the process of assessing a use tax for the federally owned equipment at the test site. Roy's assessments would eventually form the basis for a case litigated all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and ultimately for a multimillion dollar judgment in favor of Nye County. The judgment would fund schools and public services, and a new law library for the District Attorney.

On the heels of the Supreme Court victory, Roy would ascend to become the first County Administrator, working directly for the Nye County Board of Commissioners, where he would serve until his retirement. Nye County couldn't get enough of him, and he would return as acting County Administrator two more times to help bridge the gap between other Administrators. Having served the people of Nye for decades, Roy would elevate his service to a huge swath of central Nevada as a Nevada State Legislator where he would serve 5 terms. Roy's geographic district was larger than many states and many other countries. Few people were as familiar with all of the country of Central Nevada as Roy.

Roy would finally retire from public service in 2000, and would continue his great passion for mining. Roy spent all the days he could up at his claims near Tonopah, prospecting for gold in the mountains from his youth. The mine was the great passion of his life, and fueled his dreams his whole life long.