James Neal Washburn

"I'm going thru an old box of letters I've kept around thru the years, there's a letter from my old friend Neal, it was in the 8th grade when we became friends & partners in, you name it . My friend "The Arizona Okie" Mr. Spontaneous. Mr. Punch you in the arm . drop back. egg you on, with that big smile and taunting dukes. I hold good memories of you."

"I'm so sorry to here of Neal's passing. We went to high school together. He was the nicest guy. I have a lot of fond memories of him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family."

"Rosie, Alex, Gracie, Julia and Joe, Please accept our condolences. Words cannot express our sadness at the loss of your beloved husband, and father."

"Rose, Alex, Julia, Grace and Joe, G-Dub.... that's what Neal called me. Of course, he always delivered it with that famous grin that made me feel special. I remember watching him present during meetings and he just had that gift... the gift to be able to connect with people. He did it with such ease. He somehow managed to make everything more fun. I am fortunate that I can say we were friends in addition to being colleagues. Optum will never be the same... please know he will never be forgotten and the impact he had lives on in the people he inspired. Stay strong and keep smiling Washburn's... It's what Neal would have wanted. "

"To my colleague and good friend. Reach for the stars Neal. You are a cheerished friend. I know you are looking down and laughing with that Oklahome draw saying, "Hang in there". We had fun doing that monsterous MASS project. It was you that made it all worth it. God bless you and your family, and will see you again in Gods house."

"To the Washburns - I had the great pleasure of working for Neal at Optum and have just heard of his passing. Neal was a kind and generous man and very encouraging as a manager. May he rest in God's eternal peace. Our prayers go out to his family today. Amanda and Chip Holder"

"Rose, Alex, Gracie, Julia, and Joe, love, love, love, and peace. your cousin, Mary O."

"To all the Washburn's.......our hearts are broken. A big light on earth is no longer with us, Heaven is surely celebrating right now because Neal's presence filled the air wherever he went. But our family has a huge hole and will never be the same. He never left you without a hug. We have hundreds of memories that we will keep close to our hearts. In the painful days that lay ahead I will be praying for God's almighty Grace and comfort. We must remember that Christ has paid the ultimate price & all that believe in Him death is assurance of life with Him forever. Love you Cousin - Kennetha"

"Rose, Alexandra, Grace, Julia and Joseph Neal was a loved and valued member of our work family at Optum. We will miss his wisdom, humor, kindness and thoughtfulness. He will forever have a place in our hearts and on our team."

"Neal was a loving father and husband of a family bound by love for one another. We are praying for you, Rose, and for the kids. You have our deepest sympathies."

"I'm glad that I got to know you and got to hear many a great story involving you and the college gang. You will be missed. My sympathies to Rose, Alex, Grace, Julia, and Joe."

"To Rose and the girls. I have known Neal for over 35 years and though our lives became disconnected over time, he was still a dear friend to me. I shall cherish the memories of the wonderful times we shared. May the peace of the Lord be with you."

"I was blessed to work with Neal for many years at UHC. I will always remember how proud he made me feel. With Neal, I always felt cared for and protected and I will miss that and him greatly. I will always remember him saying to me in the halls, "Bracken...bring the noise." He is one of my heroes and I look forward to the day when I too will graduate out of this assignment called life and get to high five my dear friend again. Until then, I will continue on and live life to the fullest as I know that this is what Neal would want from all of us. So Neal, here's "Bracken bringing the Noise".....I love you brother...enjoy your heavenly vacation and I'll see you when I get home. Love Always-Bracken"

"Neal was calm, friendly, jovial, intelligent, provocative, thoughtful, loving, a great conversationalist, adventurous, organized, patriotic, personable, understanding. I know I've left out many words to describe a wonderful person who was crazy about Rose and loved Alex, Grace, Julia and Joe very much. He loved those they loved too. Neal was generous of heart and spirit. I really miss and loved him. The world will not be the same without him. May his soul rest in peace. RIP Neal."

"Thank you"

"We are so sorry for your loss, and are praying for your family. Neal was always so kind to us. He was a great dad, husband, and Sooner fan! We are here for you if you need anything at all."

"Thinking and praying for the Washburn family. I am so glad I went to Durango two years ago and was able to enjoy our hike up the mountain!"

"I worked with Neal over the past 4 years. I work out of the UHC Green Bay office. He was a great person. He had passion for what we do and who we serve. His competitive and fun spirit along with his GENUINE personality made him a pleasure to work with. I will miss him greatly. The family has my sincere sympathy as well as the sympathy of the entire UnitedHealth Care family."

"Neal, you will be missed! We love you! The Hughes Family Randy, Amy, Kelsey, Kieran, Dave, Delaney, Devon, Shane, Bowie and Kieran"