Natalie Elizabeth Yancey

Natalie Elizabeth Yancey
May 12, 1996 –April 10, 2020

Natalie Elizabeth Yancey was a rare gem. She revealed many of her brilliant polished facets to all for 23 years. She left us with some uncut surfaces that we can now only imagine in our dreams. Nat was a true lover of animals and was especially true to her beautiful horse Hendricks. She had life long open passion for taking care of vulnerable people.

Natalie had many extraordinary experiences in her short life and touched the lives of many. In high school, she raised a successful seeing eye dog her senior year. Payson was her constant companion and walked with her at graduation. After attending college at Miami University of Ohio she returned home to Seattle to work as a nanny. Nat had an affinity for patiently and lovingly caring for children. She lived in downtown Seattle and enjoyed the excitement of city life. After two urban years she returned to Gig Harbor and pursued her love of horses. She was very proud of the meticulous and organized care that she provided for every horse as stable manager at the stable where she learned to ride.

Natalie travelled the world. She had adventures in Asia, Africa, Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean. She dreamed of a destination wedding in Thailand and her favorite hotel was on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Whistler was her favorite ski resort. Natalie hiked the Grand Canyon, drove dogsleds in the Tetons, rode horses in Monument Valley, and snowmobiled through Yellowstone in the winter. She enjoyed sailing in the Gulf Islands and to Desolation Sound in British Columbia. In Tanzania, she nurtured children in an orphanage and in Bhutan she camped in the Himalayan snow. She made life long friends in Nepal and Bhutan.

Natalie loved riding her magnificent horse Hendricks. She fell in love with this gentle giant and could make herself one with his movements and flow. She jumped, galloped, and cantered her love. It was a splendid sight to see. The quiet days at the barn were a comfort to her. She loved working with the young girls who shared her passion for horses and the smell of hay. She worked long hours and had an innate aptitude for recognizing animals in distress.

Natalie was also an extraordinary poet. She expressed many of her feelings on paper and could create prose with deep meaning. She was thoughtful and wise beyond her years. She loved to discuss politics and world affairs at the dinner table or in front of a fire after a long day of work at the barn with a glass of rose.

Above all else, Natalie loved her parents Bob and Betti Ann Yancey. Her mom was her best friend and her dad was her buoy. Her extended family of multiple aunts, uncles, and cousins she considered a gift. Nat chose to have deep and fiercely loyal relationships with several close friends. Natalie was also blessed with a wonderful village of adult friends who recognized the old soul in her.

A flickering candlelight in Natalie’s favorite Glassy Baby will remind us forever of her wonderful smile and ability to make us laugh until we cried. We will miss her immensely, every single day.

The Yancey family would like to thank the extraordinary support provided by family, our dear friend Eleanor, Natalie’s friends from pre-school thru college, neighbors, and the extended village that supported Natalie throughout her life.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the family home sometime in the fall.