"The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long." ~Lao Tzu

Our beloved Todd Emery Nealey - son, brother, nephew, uncle, grandson and friend - left us way too soon on September 13, 2016. Todd suffered for many years with a horrible disease called alcoholism. In all his life, this was the only obstacle our fierce warrior couldn't overcome.

Born on December 15, 1974 to Tedd & Teresa Nealey, Todd was raised on the family farm between LaCrosse and Endicott, WA. Todd accomplished a great deal in his short 41 years of life. A natural athlete, he fell in love with the game of basketball which was an outlet for his intense energy. He went on to earn athletic scholarships at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, WA, and Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA, where he led the team as point guard to the NAIA Division 1 Elite 8. Todd continued playing professional ball in Tasmania, Australia. Throughout his athletic career, he collected many accolades, set records, and gained the respect of teammates, coaches and competitors alike. He later shared his knowledge by mentoring several young athletes as a coach.

Life was a stage for Todd. His legendary wit could turn any situation into fun - fun was his forte and "the best thing to have." His adventurous spirit and eagerness to explore compelled him to travel the world, and he lived abroad in Australia, Japan and Korea, among others. This love for adventure led to what he believed was his greatest accomplishment - earning his pilot's license in the minimum hours required.

Todd's comedic personality, silly antics, and unprecedented story-telling caused side-splitting laughter everywhere he went. These particular talents were also displayed on various theater stages, and won him two years of performing at Universal Studios in Japan, playing the likes of "Doc Brown" from the movie "Back to the Future," and Brendan Fraser's character in "The Mummy." One of his favorite memories was participating in the WSU Summer Palace Theatre's "The Sound of Music" with his entire family.

He lived in Los Angeles, CA where he worked in the entertainment industry for 15 years. He was proud to have produced a feature film and various television shows. Todd was also an entrepreneur and had a knack for seeing and developing opportunities. He was adept at connecting key people with varied business projects. Recently he continued his business dealings while working on the family farm. He had many unfinished projects in the works at his untimely passing.

His beautiful smile and genuine love of people lit up every room he entered. Todd considered no one a stranger. He loved people, making friends easily wherever he went. Perhaps Todd's greatest asset was his huge heart - he cared about people deeply, loved them unconditionally, and was generous to a fault.

He had a remarkable impact wherever he went. He never tried to be the star of the show - he just was. His legacy will continue to shine brightly on all who had the privilege to know him. Our loss is great, but thankfully, we have millions of memories and one-liners to keep us going.

Todd is survived by his parents, Tedd (Patty) Nealey, and Teresa O'Connell; sister Tamara Smith; brother Troy (Kristen) Nealey; grand-mother Patricia Knudson; nephews Noah, Sam and Gunnar; many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and the love of his life, Cara Bibbiani.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, September 23rd at 11:10am at Central Washington University's Nicholson Pavilion in Ellensburg, WA with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the CWU Foundation in support of the Wildcat Commons Fund for athletic facility enhancement. For more information please contact Jason Roundy at 509-963-2281 or jason.roundy@cwu.edu.