Alexandria "Lexi" A Neinast

Our beloved Alexandria “Lexi” Arianna Nadine Neinast, 22, passed away from complications of Covid pneumonia after a 12-week battle, on Thursday, March 24, 2022 at Strong Memorial Hospital with her loving family by her side.

Friends and relatives are invited to calling hours from 11am – 1 pm on Friday, April 1, 2022 at the Doran Funeral Home, 4 East Bayard St., Seneca Falls.  A funeral service will be at 1 pm at the funeral home, with burial to follow.

Lexi was born on Friday, August 13, 1999. She was a lifelong resident of Waterloo.  There was not anywhere that she went, where she wasn’t greeted by name.  Lexi never met a stranger; everyone was a friend in her eyes.

Lexi graduated from Waterloo High School and Newark-Wayne BOCES where she was a highly decorated Special Olympian.  She loved performing for any audience that she could get and always shined in her school’s Variety Show.

From an early age, Lexi had a love for shopping, especially for shoes.  The movies, family gatherings, and socializing every chance she got were so important to her. Her most favorite day of the year was her birthday. In her family, August 13th became a holiday as big as Christmas.

Lexi participated eagerly every year in the Down Syndrome Association of CNY’s Buddy Walk in Syracuse. From her birth through the end of the Walk’s existence in 2019, Lexi only ever missed one year attending. That was due to an illness that almost ended her life in 2010.  Lexi’s resilience, love, light, and determination carried her through navigating a new way of living after a traumatic brain injury she suffered during that illness.  With the help of some beautifully compassionate and supportive home nursing staff, Lexi flourished and stayed quite healthy for many years.

Lexi is survived by her parents, Nadine Neinast and Donnie Stilwell;  two sisters, Brianna Cuny of Seneca Falls and Ashley Stilwell (Patrick Williams) of Churchville; two brothers,  Andrew (Ashley) Palmer of Texas and Owen Palmer (Skie Cooper) of Naples; nieces and nephews, Eleanor Cuny, Dylan, David, Dalton Palmer, Celia and Collin Williams, Cylus and Aevah Gittens, and Owen Palmer; many aunts, uncles and cousins as well as her heart’s true love, Austin.

Lexi was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Bonnie and David Neinast; paternal grandparents, Jane and Donald Stilwell, and aunt, Samantha Picchi

Lexi’s family would like to thank with deep appreciation, the staff of URMC’s 8-1600 Unit, especially the nurses for the highly specialized care of Lexi and support of her family over the last three months; also her home care nurses, Valerie, Dee Ann, Cyndia, Donna, Danielle, Teresa, and Charity.