James Samuel Neiman, affectionately known as Jim, Jim Senior, or simply “Senior” to family and friends, passed away peacefully at home on October 24, 2026, at the age of 96.
Born on February 6, 1930, in Gordon, Nebraska, to Albert Carmel (A.C.) Neiman and Annie Mabel Gerber, Jim was the youngest son in a family of eight children. His was a life defined by hard work, determination, family, a little stubbornness, and a remarkable ability to see possibilities where others saw obstacles.
Jim’s connection to the timber industry began when he was just a boy. During the Depression, his family moved to Wyoming, where his father operated a sawmill. By the age of seven, Jim was already helping with the family business, hauling water, tending the steam boiler, and working alongside his brothers. In 1939, the family moved to Hulett, Wyoming, a community that would become home and remain close to Jim’s heart for the rest of his life.
Growing up, Jim spent more time working than sitting in a classroom. He learned to skid logs with horses, operate heavy equipment, and do whatever was necessary to keep the family business running. Those early experiences shaped the hardworking, determined man he would become.
On February 15, 1952, Jim married Sally Ann Bush, beginning a partnership that would span more than seven decades. Together, they raised five children: Jim, Connie, Kent, Sheri, and Rick. Sally Ann was by his side through the challenges and successes of building their family, ranch, and business. She worked alongside him in the ranching operation and managed the sawmill’s bookkeeping for many years. Their life together was built on hard work, perseverance, and family.
Jim was never one to shy away from a challenge. In 1958, he took over his brother Ray’s interest in the family sawmill and ranch, assuming considerable debt and responsibility. Then, on August 17, 1961, disaster struck when the sawmill burned to the ground. With little left but ashes and a mountain of debt, Jim was faced with a decision that might have caused many to give up.
But giving up wasn’t Senior’s way.
He contacted his banker, secured the opportunity to rebuild, and headed to Montana to purchase equipment. When his brother questioned how much money he was spending, Jim’s response was simple: “I said so what. I’m broke.”
That determination carried him through the years as he continued growing and improving the sawmill operation. With the help of Sally Ann, their children, and many dedicated employees, the family business grew into something far beyond its humble beginnings. Jim took great pride in creating jobs and opportunities in the community he loved.
Jim was a man of vision, often seeing possibilities long before anyone else could imagine them. One of his most memorable dreams was building a golf course on the bluffs overlooking Hulett, with breathtaking views of Devils Tower.
As the family story goes, one cold winter evening, Jim arrived with snowmobile clothing and told his daughter and son-in-law to bundle up and follow him. He led them across the snow-covered countryside to a hay meadow, where he began pointing out the locations of future golf holes and fairways. They thought he must be joking. Jim simply chuckled and told them, “I am going to build it.”
And he did.
What began with Jim personally carving out three holes in the rugged Wyoming landscape eventually grew into The Golf Club at Devils Tower, with the 18-hole course completed in 2007. It stands as a testament to a man who believed that a little imagination, a lot of determination, and plenty of hard work could turn even the most unlikely dream into reality.
His vision extended beyond the timber industry and the golf course. Jim also saw the potential for an airport in Hulett and believed in creating opportunities that would benefit the community for generations to come.
One of Jim’s favorite philosophies summed up the way he approached life: “If you aren’t going forward every day, you’re going backward.” And Senior certainly wasn’t one to stand still.
But for all his accomplishments, those who knew and loved Jim will remember so much more than the businesses he built or the projects he envisioned.
Senior had a mischievous sense of humor and was always ready with a joke, particularly when someone else was on the receiving end. Whether he was frightening an unsuspecting victim with his famous “mongoose” prank or handing out his stockpile of “special hazelnuts,” there was often no telling what he might have up his sleeve.
He could be stubborn, and he certainly had his own way of doing things. He wasn’t a man who handed out compliments freely, but those who earned his approval knew it meant something. Beneath that tough exterior was a generous man who cared deeply for his family, his employees, and his community.
And then there were the stuffed animals. Senior loved playing claw machines and often kept a bag of stuffed animals in his pickup, ready to hand one out to a child. It was one of those simple gestures that showed another side of the man who could be tough in business but still found joy in making someone smile.
Jim’s legacy reaches far beyond the timber industry, the ranches, the golf course, or the community he helped shape. It lives on in the family he and Sally Ann raised, the opportunities he created, the lessons he passed down, and the countless stories that will be told about him for generations.
Senior lived a life that was anything but ordinary. He worked hard, dreamed big, laughed often, and did things his own way. He leaves behind a lifetime of memories, a community forever touched by his vision, and a family who will carry his stories forward.
And if there’s one thing Senior taught those around him, it’s that there’s always something more to accomplish, another opportunity around the corner, and no reason to stop moving forward.
Jim is survived by his wife, Sally Ann Neiman; their five children, Jim (Christy) Neiman, Connie (Tom) Lindmier, Kent (Criss) Neiman, Sheri (Russell) Stinson, and Rick (Marlene) Neiman; 14 surviving grandchildren, Marcus (Martina) Neiman, Sonja Neiman, Stephanie (Brad) Wallendorf, Michelle (Matt) Cloninger, Monte (Desiree) Lindmier, Sonnie Neiman, Stephanie (Cory) Gilbert, Michelle (Nate) Wilson, Micki (Mark) Lyons, Jerod Stinson, Shelly (Dan) Olson, Brandie (Rollis) Buer, Mary Neiman, and Gracie Neiman; and 31 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert Carmel (A.C.) Neiman and Annie Mabel Gerber; his grandsons, Ryan and Kasey Neiman; his sisters, Carrie, Ruth, and Mary; and his brothers, Albert, Hank, Ray, and Bill.
Funeral services will be held Friday, October 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Hulett School Gymnasium in Hulett, Wyoming.
Burial will follow at Hulett Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to gather for lunch afterward at The Golf Club at Devils Tower clubhouse. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the Hulett Fire Department, Hulett EMS and Hulett Senior Services.
