In Loving Memory of

Jennifer Lynn Neilinger

July 7,1981 - January 1, 2015 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The world won’t be the same for the Neilinger family since the loss of Jennifer at the young age of 33. Quiet and reserved, but yet such a lover of life. Her love for horses was her passion. As a child, Jennifer’s horse, of all things named “Killer”, was no killer with her. No one but Jennifer was crazy enough to get near him, let alone ride him. But she was able to turn him into a calm tame horse and won many competitions. We are positive that she is now looking down on us smiling as she trots through flower filled pastures. 

She will be sorely missed at work where she worked closely with her family every day. Her smiling face greeted her father, Eric, her mom, Ronnie, and her siblings every morning when they walked into work. Jennifer was passionate at and excelled at everything she did for the family business. She was loved by and will be undoubtedly missed by all of her co-workers. 

Jennifer was loved and surrounded by a large family. Her father Eric and her mom Ronnie were the glue that held the family together and Jennifer was very close with her siblings Brian, Jessica, Shannon and Aubrey. 

Her older brother Brian was her role model and best friend and her younger sister Jessica was her sidekick. She enjoyed spending her birthdays with her sister Shannon in Key West. Her other brother Aubrey was her confidant. Jennifer is also survived by her natural mother, Sandra. 

Funeral Arrangements 

Jennifer’s funeral was held on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at
Temple Beth El Memorial Gardens 
4900 Old Griffin Rd. Davie, FL at 11:00 am 

*Located south off Griffin Road – 1/10 mile East side of the Turnpike, make first right hand turn (heading South) onto Old Griffin Road. Follow road around and cemetery will be on the right hand side (NEXT TO THE GOLD DOME) 

Following services the family invites you to sit shiva at the residence of Eric and Ronnie Neilinger. The address and directions will be shared at the ceremony. 

The family kindly ask that in lieu of flowers you make a donation to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Horse Rescue and Sanctuary 
The family has told us that this would be Jennifer’s wish. You may click on the red heart above to safely and securely donate any amount to F.R.I.E.N.D.S.  to help the horses, a cause that Jennifer would surely feel strongly about. She loved horses and they were a large part of her life.  No doubt she would be pleased to know that the horses are being helped as a small part of her legacy.

 

 

 

 

 

  The Following People and Organizations have donated in Jennifer's Memory                                                 

 

 ANSIN FOUNDATION 

 

Christine Blackburn

 

Judy Mundy
 

Michael Ventola 
 

Rene Chi 
 

Mitchell Berger 
 

Steelbridge Real Estate Services 
 

Carol Brooks 

 

Konstantin Indyukov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to donate to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Horse Rescue in memory of Shannon, please click on the red heart and you may safely and securely donate to the rescue, a cause Shannon supported and deeply cared about. She would no doubt be happy to know the horses were being helped as part of her legacy

 

In Memory of

Shannon Collins

 

April 2, 1992 - July 3, 2011

 

Shannon was born at Plantation General Hospital on April 2, 1992, well after her due date. Even from that early beginning, Shannon would do things on her own schedule and in her own way. Shannon always had her own eclectic sense of style. A natural green-eyed strawberry blonde from the moment of her birth until her passing, no one could mistake her Irish heritage. Pink was never her color, even as a little girl. Her favorite color was purple.

Always a resident of Pembroke Pines, FL growing up, Shannon attended Hawkes Bluff Elementary School from kindergarten through fifth grade. She attended Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston for sixth grade, followed by Silver Trails Middle School for grades seven and eight due to school district boundary changes. For awhile, she played clarinet in the school band and sang in the chorus. Although she discontinued playing the clarinet, she took lessons in electric piano, guitar, and drums, always loving to be involved in music. She even had a "garage girl band" for a little while. Shannon attended Cypress Bay High School for ninth and tenth grades, and then West Broward High School for her junior and senior years, again due to school district boundary changes. She was in the veterinary technician program at West Broward, and graduated from West Broward High School in June 2010.

Shannon was active in Girl Scouts from kindergarten until the end of middle school, when she opted to become involved with rescue horses and fostering dogs and cats through the Humane Society. Beginning at age 14, she started volunteering at F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Horse rescue, feeding and watering the horses and other animals twice a week. She also adopted Beckit, a wonderfully patient and loving one-eyed bay gelding who taught her how great love can be between a horse and a girl. Although Beckit passed away in 2008, Shannon went on to find Charley, who will greatly miss her. Shannon also adopted her dog Boo from the Humane Society after several years of fostering puppies and kittens. There is no animal on earth that she loved more than Boo.

Although most of Shannon's teachers considered her a quiet and shy student, she was not so quiet or shy at home or with her friends. She always had a good circle of friends who truly knew what a fun person she could be. Shannon had a great sense of humor, was generous of heart, and fiercely loyal. While some who knew Shannon might have described her as too much of an idealist, her friends and family understood that she always had a strong sense of what is right or wrong, and was extremely protective of those she loved.

Shannon was a very talented photographer, loved to draw, and also wrote stories and plays. She loved to travel, and had to go horseback riding everywhere she went, whether Hawaii, Montana, or Ireland. Shannon loved the 7D Ranch in Cody, Wyoming, where she vacationed several summers in a row. She also loved visiting Ireland where everyone looked like a long-lost relative, and visiting Rome, where she was treated like a princess by all the handsome young Italian men.

After graduating from high school, Shannon was essentially self employed, feeding horses at a barn in Davie, and dog sitting/dog watching and transporting students before and after school events for working families. In November 2010, she moved in with some roommates in Davie, FL. Shortly afterward, she met Austin Shepard, who would become the love of her life. In the spring of 2011, Shannon moved back home, hoping to save money to later go to veterinary school. She started working with Austin as much as possible at a bounce house business, using her beloved Chevy Silverado to haul the bounce houses to and from the job sites. She began giving riding lessons on Charley, learned to shoot like Annie Oakley, and was regularly beating both her dad and Austin at pool (and was counting the days until she could also beat her brother, Ryan, at pool). Life was very good.

Shannon's life was overshadowed by Type 1 diabetes, diagnosed at age 12. Very recently, she had acquired an insulin pump and was doing much better at managing this disease. However, a cascade of events related to her diabetes resulted in her untimely death at only 19 years of age. If you would like to view Shannon's Photo Gallery Tribute please CLICK HERE