James Neil Jorgensen

James Neil Jorgensen passed away peacefully at home the morning of Sept. 16, 2026 in the same valley where he was born, where he lived, and where he left a legacy. Neil was born Oct. 1, 1935, the second of four children born to Delma Mortensen and James Ray Jorgensen.

Neil was shaped by the land and the people of Sanpete Valley.  He grew up on the family farm west of Mt. Pleasant, alongside his brothers, Keith and Robert, His sister, Colleen, and his grandparents. There he learned at an early age the value of hard work, keeping your word, caring for those you love, and never being afraid to begin with very little. At only 14 years old Neil bought his first herd of sheep laying the foundation of the heritage he now leaves behind.

Neil graduated from North Sanpete High School in 1953. He played basketball, was FFA Chapter President, played the saxophone in the band ‘Three Hits and a Miss’, and was awarded the State Farmer Degree. He served an LDS mission in Canada then attended BYU where he began dating the love of his life, Diane Aagard. On July 31, 1959, they were married for time and all eternity in the Logan, Utah temple.

As newlyweds, there was no honeymoon or easy beginning. They simply went to work, herding their own sheep together across the desert through winter and spring. It was a life they chose and the work they loved and they did side by side.

That same devotion shaped the way Neil loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Everything he did was for family, and family was everything. Neil never withheld his support, steadiness, or the words ‘I love you.’ He was a shepherd and his family his flock. His greatest pride was never found in what he owned or built, but in the people who gathered around him.

As the patriarch of the multigenerational Skyline Sheep Company, Neil was a sheep rancher whose influence stretched far beyond his own ranch. He operated sheep across multiple states, owned a processing and packing company, managed private and public land, and tirelessly advocated for the domestic sheep industry in every way possible. Neil was a sheepman through and through.

In addition to sheep ranching, Neil had an entrepreneurial spirit, a deep love for the community he called home, and a tender spot for the underdog. Along with Diane, he started and ran the local Country Squire store, restored the Main Street North Sanpete High Gymnasium, provided jobs, and generously supported those in need. He found genuine joy and satisfaction in working hard, building his community, and helping others.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Delma and James Ray, brothers, Keith and Robert, and sister, Colleen Morley. He is survived by his beloved wife Diane, their four children Jeff, Todd, Lisa and Jenifer and their spouses, 19 grandchildren, and 45 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. at the Mt. Pleasant North Stake Center. Viewings were held Sunday evening, 6-8 p.m. and Monday morning, 9-10:30 a.m. at the Mt. Pleasant North Stake Center. Interment in Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery.  Online condolences at rasmussenmortuary.com.