Neil Nathan Wahlert, 64, passed away March 25 at St. Anthony North Hospital in Westminster following a valiant battle with complications from Parkinson's Disease.

Born in Brush, Colorado, on June 29, 1959, to Fred and Doris Wahlert, Neil grew up on their family farm between Brush and Hillrose.  He was baptized that year at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hillrose, Colorado.  He was later confirmed there in 1973 and served as the church organist.  From an early age, Neil showed great interest and talent in music and art, writing musical compositions  as a child.  He also found much satisfaction in drawing and cartooning.

He attended school at Hillrose Elementary.  In junior high and high school, he attended Brush Schools, graduating from  Brush High School with the Class of 1977.  While in school, he enjoyed concert and marching bands, playing clarinet, bass clarinet and piano, and serving as accompanist for school musicals. He earned many top music awards in clarinet and piano contests, was selected to various honor bands and Top of the Nation Band and received The John Phillip Sousa Award.

He continued his musical education, obtaining his Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, again performing in marching band, concerts, and recitals, and graduating with honors.  He then earned a fellowship to attend the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where he received his Master of Music Composition.  During those years, he worked as a graduate assistant in the UW Department of Music.  His doctoral studies were in music theory at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

Neil preferred the cooler coastal climate of the Northwest, and he remained there for much of his life.  With his expertise in classical music and composers, he greatly enjoyed his work in the  classical music section of Tower Records in Seattle, WA, for many years. During his years in Washington, he was a member of the Kent Lutheran Church where he also served in  music ministry.  The church's performing Celebration Singers, for which Neil both sang and played the keyboards, recorded and created an album titled "All for Him," in 2000.

In late 2009, Neil traveled back to serve as musician for his niece's wedding in Colorado, and he decided to return to live in Brush.  He found a new church family at the Rankin Presbyterian Church in Brush where he served as their pipe organist.  He also enjoyed membership in the East Morgan County Library Friends, working as a volunteer at their seasonal book sales.  In 2022, he went to live at The Pines Assisted Living on the campus of Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center, where he enjoyed new friendships.

He is survived by his mother Doris Wahlert, as well as his sister Amy (Michael) Ely, and niece Erin (Allen) Goff; nephews Matthew (Caty) Ely and Christopher (Christine) Ely, as well as great nephews and nieces Cole, Ava and Michael Goff; and Emma, Annabelle, Adeline, Leo, Cecilia, and Isabelle Ely, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father Fred Wahlert.

A memorial will be held on Friday, May 17 at 2 P.M. at All Saints Church of Eben Ezer, 120 Hospital Road, Brush, CO.  A light reception will follow in the Community Room.  Memorial contributions in Neil's memory may be made to All Saints Church of Eben Ezer, or Rankin Presbyterian Church of Brush.