Neel Jay Pass

Neel Jay Pass

Neel Jay Pass – Born August 15, 1930, Salt Lake City, Utah to Ronald Earl Pass and Leone Bills Pass, died Thursday, December 28, 2017, of natural causes. 

Preceded in death by his parents, and his former wife, Marta Haydee Canals Pass; survived by his current wife Carolyn, his nine children: Daniel Pass (Christie), Linda Newsome (Michael), Mark Pass (Susan), Scott Pass (Pam, deceased), Robert Pass, Joseph Pass, Deborah, Heidi (David), Rebecca Pass, and 27 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren.

Neel graduated from South High School, Salt Lake City, 1948.

Neel fulfilled a 2 ½ year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Uruguay in South America 1950-1953.

Served in U.S. Army, 1945-55 where he was taken into the Counter Intelligence Corps and sent to Puerto Rico to work in the G-2 Intelligence office.  There he did translations, Spanish to English.  Spanish was among his great loves.  He earned a B.A. in Banking and Finance with a strong minor in Spanish.  He taught Spanish at West High School, Salt Lake City, 1959-1961.  In 1961, he accepted a teaching position in Hayward, CA.  In 1962, he was chosen to attend a “Spanish Teachers’ Institute,” an intensive full-time-year of graduate studies at the University of New Mexico. 

Returning to California in 1963, Neel was chosen to be Department Chairman of Foreign Languages at Marina High School, San Leandro, CA.  In 1969, moved his job location, to teach at “Gunn High School,” Palo Alto, CA.

Neel started an investment firm while teaching at Gunn High.  After developing many clients, he transitioned easily, in 1978, into full-time financial services business, eventually becoming his own Broker-dealer and Registered Investment Advisor.

Neel married Rhonda Lea in 1988.  Rebecca was born to them in February 1991.  Neel, Rhonda and Rebecca moved to Logan, Utah in 1992.  They were divorced in 2003.  He later married Carolyn Johnson Tanner, in Kaysville, Utah in 2006.  They lived in Logan, Utah until 2015 when they moved to Layton, Utah. 

Neel has served in the LDS Church in numerous callings as follows: Full-time Missionary to Uruguay, S.A., YM President, Priest Quorum Advisor, Ordained to office of Seventy in the Priesthood to fulfill a stake mission calling, Teacher Development Director, Temple Preparation Class Teacher, HP Group Leader, Stake Sunday School Pres., two years as a Temple Ordinance worker in the Spanish Language in the Logan, Utah Temple.

Funeral services will be held Friday, January 5, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.  Friends may visit family Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the mortuary.  Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.