Lillian "Gay" Yearsley

Lillian Gay Neves Yearsley, 89, passed away on April 15, 2025. She was born on November 15, 1935, in Burlington, Wyoming, to Chester Earl and Caroline Elizabeth (McIntosh) Neves, during the challenging years of the Great Depression. The youngest of eight children, Gay grew up surrounded by the love, strength, and resilience of a large, hardworking family. Raised during the rationing years of World War II, she learned the values of thrift, gratitude, and perseverance early in life. In a home where everything was shared and nothing was taken for granted, Gay found joy in simplicity and built bonds with her siblings that lasted a lifetime.

After graduating high school, Gay continued her education in Laramie, Wyoming, where she met the man with whom she would spend her life, Alfred Lyle Yearsley. They were married and sealed for time and all eternity on June 26, 1956, in the Idaho Falls Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together, Gay and Lyle built a home grounded in gospel principles, kindness, and the enduring strength of family.

They were blessed with six children—David (Melody) Yearsley, Gyle (Maryann) Yearsley, Colleen (Randy) Roderick, Janette Yearsley, James (Denae) Yearsley, and Steven (Natalie) Yearsley—each one a treasured part of Gay’s heart. She poured herself into motherhood, creating a home full of love, warmth, and encouragement. Her home became a refuge not only for her family but for anyone in need of comfort, conversation, or a warm meal.

Gay was a woman of many quiet, steady talents that touched the lives of everyone around her. She had a deep love for gardening, and her home was often surrounded by the beauty of flowers and the bounty of a well-tended harvest. She was an expert at canning, preserving the fruits of her labor to nourish her family through every season. But perhaps her most enduring gift was the way she fed people—not just with food, but with love. Anyone who came through her door was greeted with a warm meal, a plate of something homemade, or an offer of whatever she had on hand. Her kitchen was a place of comfort, and through it, she shared her heart.

Throughout her life, Gay faithfully served in many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Among others, she was a devoted Relief Society President, Primary President, and Ward Librarian. In each role, she offered gentle leadership, heartfelt compassion, and a quiet strength that blessed countless lives.

She was also the proud grandmother of 17 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. She cherished her growing posterity with deep love and quiet pride, finding happiness in their laughter, their milestones, and simply being part of their lives. Her influence will live on through them—in the values she taught, the stories she shared, and the unwavering love she gave so freely.

Though her full name was Lillian Gay Neves Yearsley, she was known simply as Gay for most of her life. It wasn’t until she turned 65 and enrolled in Medicare that she began going by her first name, Lillian—a change that caused no small amount of confusion for her family and friends, who had called her Gay for decades. The story became a beloved family quirk and a reflection of her gentle humor and adaptable spirit.

In the final chapter of her life, Gay faced death with grace and unwavering faith. She was not afraid but rather looked forward with peace and hope to a joyful reunion beyond the veil—especially with her beloved father, whom she had longed to see again. Her testimony of eternal families remained firm and comforting to all who loved her.

Gay is survived by her children and their spouses. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, all her siblings, her daughter-in-law Denae Bradley Yearsley, and her granddaughter Amy Marie Yearsley.

Her legacy of faith, compassion, and unconditional love lives on in her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all who were blessed to know her. She was deeply loved and will be dearly missed.

A viewing will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 4775 Hawthorne Road in Chubbuck, Idaho. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM at the same location. Burial will take place at 2:00 PM at Mountain View Cemetery, 1520 S. 5th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho.

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