Nicholas Neal Reinhart

REINHART, Nicholas Neal Of West Newton, April 21, 2009. Beloved son of Marianne Neal of West Newton and Bernard Reinhart of Brighton. After his ardent struggle, we pray that he has found peace. Nicholas was born on December 1, 1984 at Newton Wellesley Hospital and lived in West Newton. He was a graduate of Newton North High School and Mass Bay Community College, and was a senior in Economics at Northeastern University. While a student Nick had worked at the West Suburban YMCA, as an activities manager; he loved spending time with the kids he taught. He discovered an enthusiasm for landscaping while working for Linnean Landscaping in Lunenburg. In elementary school Nick discovered a talent and a love for music that endured throughout his life. He began with Suzuki training, and later became a violinist with the Greater Boston Youth Symphony. After a short respite he discovered the guitar, and began taking lessons with the late Dave Cawthorn, an inspirational teacher and a graduate of Berklee. Nick shared his passion for music with his friends and fellow guitarists Ciaran, Mark, and Aidan. Nick always had an ongoing athletic interest. In high school it was lacrosse for the Wildcats, in college it was basketball at the W. Suburban YMCA, and Judo for the Huskies. He loved hiking, mountain biking, mixed martial arts, and for a long time he aspired to be a Marine. He recently read and loved The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. He was a gentle, kind soul who knew how to relate sensitively to others, but he admired toughness in mind and body - a combination that was a big challenge in his life. Nick was ardently sensitive to matters of social intolerance and discrimination, and was always self-critical of what he took to be his arbitrary social advantages and privileges. He particularly admired immigrants who worked to make something from nothing with sheer character and good values. He had a passion for the Spanish language which he continued to practice with his friend Elio and the Alvarez-Fernandez family. These attributes made him a good arbitrator and he would sometimes exhort you to look him in the eye when you speak and to try to be "relational." Nicholas had yet to settle on a career path but was anxious to graduate from college and to begin to establish himself and a family. He had firm standards for what he believed to be respectable - openness, directness, courage, and success; he sometimes missed seeing his unique inner beauty and strength, to the dismay of friends and family. Nick was loved by those who knew him well. He will be missed by many who saw the great person and potential that he too often was unable to acknowledge, Nick loved his family. He leaves his grandparents: the late Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Neal Jr., and Dorothy Reinhart; also his late uncle, Gregg Reinhart; his grandfather Bernard M. Reinhart Sr.; his aunts Laura, Carol, Lisa, Andrea, Jennifer, Ann Marie, Judy, Wendy, and Stacy; great uncles Jack, Don, Frank, Jim, Gene, Dwight, Chuck, and Tom. Great aunts Poly, Mary Lou, Rita, Ginny, Mary, Ann, Lou, Mary, and Virginia. Family and friends are invited to gather at the O'Donovans, 58 Adella Ave., West Newton, on Tuesday evening, April 28th from 5-8PM. Funeral Services will be conducted by Minister Richard Malberg at Newton Cemetery Chapel, 791 Walnut Street, Newton Center, on Wednesday morning at 11AM. Following the Services, friends are invited to gather at Marianne Neal's, 49 Fairway Drive, West Newton. Further information may be obtained from Charles Blackington, Director, Blackington, Conroy, and Hayes Funeral Home, NEWTON (800) 585-6939. If you would like to give tribute to the memory of Nicholas, his parents would be grateful for your donation to Facing History, an educational organization which focuses on teaching tolerance. A donation can be made on their website or you can call Blackington Funeral Home for details (800) 585-6939.