Obituary of Neils Haslam

Neils Alan Haslam, 85, of Twin Falls, died October 30, 2022, at the home of his daughter, Cindy. He was born September 4, 1937, to James R Haslam and Martha Neilson Haslam, in Trenton, Utah. Neils attended school in Lewiston, Utah, and the family moved to Filer, Idaho when he was 16. He started working for Allen Lee in the 1950’s, putting up TV antennas, and his career in electronics just grew after that. He joined the Army National Guard in 1957-1963, serving as Communications Chief of the Communication Section of Combat Support. He worked at Paul K’s behind Moon’s Rock Shop, doing TV and electronics repair. That is when he met his wife, Evelyn Perry Haslam, while they were both working downtown. Neils and Evelyn were married January 10, 1959, at the home of Evelyn’s parents in Hazelton, Idaho. He started his own business, TV Tuner Service, in the 1960’s; he did the repair, and Evelyn did the bookkeeping. They were able to keep the business at home while raising their three children, Cindy, Janine, and Alan. By the 1970’s, he branched out to re-building television picture tubes, which he could then sell to television repairmen throughout the northwest. His family has memories of delivering the rebuilt picture tubes in the horse trailer to businesses in Idaho, Utah and Montana. Always one to try something new, when the microwave oven was introduced in the 1970’s, he became a repairman for these as well, making service calls to restaurants to repair Litton ovens, from Idaho Falls to Oregon. In the 70’s, Neils and Evelyn moved the business to 4th Avenue West, and changed the name to Idaho Instrument. They sold a wide variety of electronics parts, becoming known for the business who might have what no one else in town had. Neils also enjoyed sharing what was in his gifted brain by guiding people to build or repair their own items. Neils and Evelyn had a high dedication to helping technology schools have the tools and equipment they needed to train future technicians. The beginning of each semester was a frantic time of building tool boxes, and getting test equipment together for schools. As Neils finished out his career, he taught himself integrated circuit technology, so that he could design circuit boards, and expand his invention possibilities. His business manufactured “trainers” internationally for many of the automobile manufacturers, as well as a variety of agricultural products for farmers, from hay moisture testers to other monitors that farmers could operate from their tractor cabs. He developed a device for the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office to automatically open the police dog door, and to sense the inside temperature in the car, keeping the dogs safe. Evelyn passed in 2006, leaving a big hole in Neils’ life, but his work, cabin, and grandchildren kept him going. The Haslam children, various nieces and nephews, and grandchildren worked at Idaho Instrument. Neils and Evelyn also gave gifted electronics students the opportunity to get started, and they were also helpful in advancing the business with new ideas and technology. Neils played as hard as he worked. The family often went camping every other weekend, taking trail rides on motorcycles that Neils was able to repair, so that everyone had something to ride. He supported the children in anything they wanted to pursue, riding club and parades/rodeos, dance recitals, piano lessons, 50-mile hikes, pinewood derbies, and many other scouting activities. It was very important to him that he be a very involved and caring father, and he went over the top. Neils started training to become a pilot in the 1980’s, owning a plane with friend, Ray Harris. He gave up the plane and piloting to build a cabin north of Challis, Idaho. Another place to work hard and play hard, and be in the outdoors. Here he built more memories with Evelyn and his grandchildren. Neils is survived by his children, Cindy (Gary) Anton, Janine (Tom) Neiwirth, Alan (Leisa) Haslam, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, his brothers James, Harold, Bud, and sisters, Joyce, Vera, Flourice, and Ann, and his granddaughter, Mari Neiwirth. Visitation will be held at Rosenau Funeral Home at 6-8pm on Friday, November 4, 2022. Funeral services will be Saturday, November 5, at 10am at the Reformed Church in Twin Falls. Internment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Visions Hospice, or the Twin Falls Animal Shelter.