Malad resident Rick Neville will be riding in this year’s Fourth of July parade as the Honored Veteran.  Neville, who is originally from South Ogden, has seen a lot of places in his time, but he decided that Malad was his home over twelve years ago and has made a life here ever since.  Each year for the town’s Independence Day celebration, the American Legion selects a veteran to represent the history and honor of the branches of military service within the county and community.  

Neville is a proud Navy vet, having served a tour of duty in Vietnam from 1963 to 1967 in Da Nang on a Destroyer, where he provided artillery support to the army and marines, and checked boats for contraband and enemy soldiers in the harbor.  Despite the intensity of the conflict, Neville says “I thoroughly enjoyed the Navy.  I saw a lot of the world and I learned a lot.  If you asked me if I’d join up again, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

Neville found a group of vets here in Malad that he has become friends with over the years.  Though he has recently experienced some health problems, Neville is recovering, and hopes to be back at the Legion for Bingo as soon as possible.  “I like to BS with those guys over there,” he says.  “I’ve met a lot of people that way.”

While he hasn’t always lived in Oneida county, Rick has definitely taken to it.  

“I like Malad, it’s a good place.  Idaho is one of the best states we’ve got going, and I’d rather be in a town like this than a big one.  I like it, my wife likes it.  It’s not a bad drive to anywhere you might need to go to get things.  And I love the people here—you mind their business and they mind theirs,” he says.  From his front porch, he enjoys watching the birds that flock to his flowers and trees, and the sounds of the kids playing at the AquaPlunge.  “Those kids are just having a ball over at the pool.  I love that,” he says. 

Growing up in Ogden, and then working there after his navy service, Neville had his fill of bigger cities with the accompanying problems.  He spent most of his career in law enforcement in Ogden and Sandy, Oregon.  He worked as a police officer and range instructor, as well as with the Department of Defense to provide base security.  “They wanted people on the base who knew how to investigate and handle things like police instead of just security guards.”  

His brother went to school in Caldwell on a basketball scholarship and married a woman from Idaho, which brought Rick up into the state off and on.  “I got to like Idaho quite a bit.  We used to come up to fish Daniels and other spots around here.  There’s some great places for fly fishing around here.”

Although he is a more recent resident of the Malad Valley, his family has a long history in the area.  Neville’s ancestors came across the plains with Brigham Young, and eventually ran the stage shop and a store, and then raised horses for the army.  “Can you imagine that?  Those were some tough old guys, riding horses for the army back then,” he says, reflectively.  “I used to love to ride horses.  I can’t any more—I’ve got pins in my knees—but I’d sure love to do it again.”

Asked what he plans to do during the parade, he responds, “I guess I’ll be sitting in the car throwing candy to kids.  Of course, I love taffy, so I’ll probably be eating a lot of that.  And then I’ll get over to the park to see what’s going on.”

He and his wife moved to Idaho twelve years ago, and don’t have any plans of moving anywhere else.  “I like it here.  And I’ll keep on going.  You live until they punch your card, I guess,” he smiles.