Francis Nial

7/27/1965 — 7/16/2024

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Francis Gary Nial went to be with the Lord Jesus on July 16, 2024, after a long, extensive battle with vascular dementia. He was 69 years old.

Francis, who preferred to go by his middle name Gary, was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Lexington Park, Md., on July 27, 1954. He was born to John Augustus and Irene Nial of California, Md. He was the fourth of six children.

Gary went to various schools throughout the years, including Leonard Hall Naval Academy in Leonardtown, Md., for junior high, and Great Mills High School in Great Hills, Md., for high school. It was at Great Mills High School that he met the love of his life, Diana Jean Doyle, at age 15. They would go on to get married in 1972 and remain married for 51 years.

After high school, Gary moved out west to pursue his passion, a career in forestry. He achieved his bachelor’s degree in forestry from Flathead Community College in 1977 in Kalispell, Mont. Gary took a job as a forester with the United States Forest Service for a couple of years, and then got hired on at Potlatch Corp., where he put in an impressive 28-year career. Working for Potlatch moved him to northern Idaho, where he lived for the remainder of his life. He worked out of the Bovill and St. Maries offices, achieving the title of area supervisor.

In 1982, his one and only son, John Michael Nial, was born. Gary was very proud of his son, often seen taking John anywhere and everywhere possible with him. In 1988, Gary moved his family to Moscow, where they lived for 13 years.

Due to unfortunate changes in the logging and forestry industries in the late 1990s, Gary was forced to change career directions in 2001. He then moved to Lewiston. There he attended Lewis-Clark State College and got his associates degree in Computer Information Technology-Networking. At LCSC, Gary graduated on the President’s List.

Unfortunately, Gary would never get to use his second degree. He worked at Home Depot for five years, right up until a tragic stroke rendered him left-side paralyzed in October 2007. Gary would go on to develop vascular dementia as a result of the stroke, and live another 17 years afterward.

Gary’s passions included photography, driving any and all vehicles, four-wheeling, listening to music and attending concerts, hunting, fishing and the great outdoors. Gary was a member of various churches throughout the years; he enjoyed studying the Bible and loved Jesus.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, John Augustus and Irene Nial, and by his brothers Dennis, Kevin and James Nial. He is survived by his wife, Diana Nial, of Clarkston, his son, John Michael Nial, of Lewiston, grandson Jayden Allen Nial, of Vancouver, Wash., brother Jack Nial and sister Mary Walsh, both of Maryland, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as brother-in-law Tom Doyle with his family Tonya and Jayden, and sister-in-laws Nola Nelson and Fran Doyle, along with their kids, Angela Robinson, Brandy Doyle and Daniel Doyle and his wife, Casey Doyle.

A memorial will be planned at a future date, to be announced on social media and in the newspaper.

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