Chad Burnett Obituary

ALEXANDER BURNETT
August 16, 1970 May 24, 2020
Chad Alexander Burnett, 49, died suddenly on Sunday, May 24, 2020 inside his Colorado Springs, Colorado home, after being detained by the Colorado Springs Police Department. Chad was born on August 16, 1970 in Ft. Collins, Colorado to Bill and Sarah Harper Burnett. They moved to California where Bill was a large animal veterinarian. Chad's parents divorced in 1973. Sarah moved Chad back to Denver, Colorado and then on to Colorado Springs where she taught home economics. After marrying John Reynolds "Renny" Borchert in 1979, she continued teaching until retirement age.
Chad shared that neither he nor his mother felt welcomed into the Borchert family which included his step-grandparents Paul and Niente Ingersoll Borchert, step-aunt Ann Winifred "Anwin" Borchert Sather, and step-cousins Mark Sather and Pauline Sather Sisson. From the way he spoke, this relationship plagued him from the time he entered the family at nine years old until his death.
Chad's mother and stepfather were married for forty years until Renny passed away on January 2, 2019 and Sarah died in her sleep on January 10, 2019. Chad had helped them out at the house for a few years and moved in to take care of them full-time two months before Renny's fatal heart attack. Chad took care of their dog, Abby, before and after their passing. Abby gave him her unconditional love and has been re-homed into a loving family.
Chad had a challenging life and received a great amount of help from attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and from his sponsors. He loved cooking, gardening, reading, and playing his electric guitar. Riding high-end bicycles and playing hockey were his passions, founding the Misfits hockey team out of Colorado Springs and Monument, Colorado. He gave his all to everything he committed to.
Chad had a long-time battle with mental illness with symptoms of Clinical Depression beginning in his teens. Despite this struggle, Chad stood in extremely high regard in his chosen circle of friends, family, and his beloved dog Abby. He was always there with a helping hand and had plans for the future, which included moving to Anson, Texas, his grandfather Fred Harper's hometown and where he and Chad's grandmother, Frances Powell Harper, spent their last days. Chad visited his aunt Kay Spears several times in Anson, enjoying the culture of small-town living, the people, and seeing farmers at work and cattle grazing while taking 30-mile rides on his bicycle.
The last year and a half of his life included retiring from Colorado Cyclist, taking care of his step-father and his mother in their last days, and starting a new business, Chaz Pro Bike Fit, fitting other bike enthusiasts to their high-end cycles.
Chad was survived by his aunt, Kay Spears, his cousins, Elizabeth Johns, Matthew Spears and their families, Abby Borchert-Burnett, and his ex-wife, Kathryn. Memorials and donations would be greatly appreciated by any charity dealing with mental illness, such as NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Another great way to honor Chad's life would be to attend a class or workshop, in person or online, on what to do when you encounter or suspect a person is struggling with a mental illness. If not now, then when? If not you, then who?