Obituary of Neil Livingston

Neil John Livingston was born November 26, 1976, to parents Albert and Lillavie Livingston. Neil is the youngest and only son. He has five older sisters, or six moms, as he liked to joke. Neil was born and raised in Ephrata, Washington on his parents’ small hay farm. Growing up as part of the Country Posse, Neil loved everything that is outdoors – from camping, fishing, and hunting to dirt bikes, snow skiing and shooting guns. Neil participated in football, basketball and baseball in high school. After graduating high school in 1994, Neil worked to save money until he left to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from January 1996 to January 1998. He served in the California Los Angeles mission, affectionately called the CLAM. He left his small hometown in the winter and after a few weeks of missionary training in Utah, arrived in sunny LA and was placed to serve in Compton, California – which might as well have been a foreign country to this young farm boy. He shares so many amazing stories of service and relationships and trying to share the light of Christ to the people in Los Angeles. Upon his return from his mission, he again worked for a few months to save money for college. He attended Central Washington University in the fall of 1998. Through a mutual friend who was dating her roommate at the time, Neil met a girl who would turn out to be the love of his life. After enjoying college and dating for a time, Neil and Tina were sealed for Time and all Eternity on December 29, 2000, in the Seattle Temple. When Neil proposed in front of the Seattle Temple in October of 2000, Tina said that they had to get married in the year 2000 for easy math! Neil and Tina moved to East Wenatchee where Tina worked full time and Neil worked on finishing his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from CWU. He originally planned to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a teacher. They had two boys born in Wenatchee. Gunnar was born in 2002 and Paden in 2005. The small family made a leap of faith for work and moved to Boardman, Oregon in 2007. After a couple of years, their third and final son, Fischer, was born in 2009. Neil said he named his boys after the three things he enjoyed most in life – guns, fishing and getting paid. In 2011, Neil decided he wanted to host a bowfishing tournament out of the beautiful Boardman Marina, so together with his wife, they made that happen. The first year, the participants asked where the shirts were. The inexperienced couple didn’t know that the participants only come for the t-shirts; comradery, food and fishing were just the icing on the cake. So, with $1,000 cash, Neil brought his first screen printing press and taught himself how to make custom shirts. A loyal friend who worked at the local high school started buying all his sports teams t-shirts through DeadRock Sporting Goods, LLC. With Neil’s father’s age progressing toward 80 years old, the family desired to move back closer to extended family. So, in 2016, they packed up and headed north a couple of hours and settled in the Royal slope area – that funky little part of Grant County, WA with an Othello zip code in the Royal School District. The boys really thrived in the Royal Community through church, school, sports and various activities. Neil continued to make shirts, but added every new piece of equipment and gadget that he could to expand his product offerings and options. He taught himself how to do everything from screen printing, embroidery, vinyl cutting, sublimation, perforated window films and laser engraving, the list goes on. Neil didn’t always love the custom apparel and promotional products business, but what he did love was the freedom to make his own schedule and do all the many, many things he loved to do. Through the years, he acquired more hobbies than one man probably needs or has time for. Neil returned to his love of riding motorcycles in the summer of 2024 after he purchased a Harley (a cheap one). A good friend invited him to join their “scooter gang” and they spent every Thursday night riding and enjoying each other’s company. Tragically, on the evening of May 15, 2025, Neil was ejected from his bike in a collision and passed away from his injuries. His wife believes he did not suffer long, if at all, before returning to his heavenly home. The family is very thankful to the first responders and hospital staff that all did their best to save his mortal life. Neil is survived by his wife, Tina, of pert-near 25 years, along with their three sons, Gunnar (22), Paden (20) and Fischer (15, turning 16 May 23 rd ). This little family is Neil’s whole world and has his whole heart. Neil is also survived by four of his five sisters: Diane (Bob) Collins, Pam (Dayle) Swensen, Ann (Tom) Downs, and Susan (Terry) Pyle. Neil has 27 nieces and nephews and 46 great nieces/nephews, as well as countless adopted daughters - ALL of which he loved so very much. Neil is preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Lillavie, his sister Cathy Ellis and his niece Angie Collins. Neil will be laid to rest at the Ephrata Cemetery near his parents on Saturday, May 31 st at 9:00am. A memorial service will be held that same day at 11:00am at the LDS Church in Royal Camp (357 Christensen Road, Othello, WA). All who know him and his family are welcome to attend.