Roy Edward Neff, 1916-2003

Our father, the Rev. Roy Edward Neff, was born Sept. 12, 1916, in a log house that his grandfather built in Snow Hill, W.Va. Before joining the ministry, he was a farmer and cut timber in the West Virginia mountains.

Dad always firmly believed in the Christian way of life. We’d like to share some of the things he and Mom taught us growing up.

1. Be sincere when we pray.

2. Have compassion for others.

3. Always try to make the best of situations instead of dwelling on what could have been.

4. Forgive and don’t hold grudges. When we find it difficult to forgive, pray, and if the words won’t come, just keep repeating the Lord’s Prayer.

5. Next to God, family is the most important thing in life. Always come home because the door is always open.

6. Laugh at ourselves.

7. Remember to forgive ourselves when we make mistakes.

8. Treat people like we want to be treated, not how we think they deserve to be treated. Remember judgment is God’s call, not ours.

When Dad was on his deathbed, he spoke of the many friends he had made over the years and how important all his friends were to him. After sharing that with us, he was quiet for a while. Then he raised his arms into the air and with tears streaming down his cheeks and a smile on his face, he cried, "Glory! Oh Glory, Hallelujah!" After repeating this a couple of times, he rose from his bed, clapping his hands and dancing on the floor. He was laughing and crying at the same time and kept repeating, "Glory! Oh Glory, Hallelujah!" He went around the bed and kissed and hugged each of his four daughters and his pastor who was with us. Still crying and overcome with joy, he climbed back into his bed and said, "I’ve seen a glimpse of Heaven — people don’t miss it." This was the last gift and the greatest gift Dad ever gave us before being called home to be with Jesus on Nov. 23, 2003.

— His daughters and their families, Carol Bradley, Connie Boole, Carmel (Candy) Savage, Cathy Frey