Rob Neils

Bob Neils often "Dared the Limits" and far exceeded the highest expectations people had of him.
He used his twin-engine Cessna 310 to drop emergency medical supplies to injured hikers in the Cabinet Wilderness and he flew grievously injured loggers to Spokane with Dr. Robert McKenzie keeping the logger alive. Upon return at night in the dark, Bob would use the J. Neils Lumber Company hand-radio to set the estimated time of arrival to the difficult landing on the short grass strip just north of town, The company dispatcher would then call KLCB radio station which would broadcast, "Bob needs the Libby Airport lighted." Dozens of cars would line up along each side of the grass strip with their headlights on. pointed obliquely across the narrow field in the direction Bob was landing to light the entire strip. They were careful to not shine towards the landing plane so as to not bother Bob's night vision. This happened many times. I was there at each precarious landing, exceedingly proud of my brave Dad.
The daytime sight of Dad's blue and white Cessna streaking over the Libby sky at 200 mph gave reality to Libby residents' heart-felt gratitude for their "guardian angel." Still today - 65 years later - people stop me on the sidewalk to re-tell me another wonderful story as shown in the picture above of Bob Neils" Daring the Limits." He was known as the fearless "Loggers' Logger."