Natalie Jude Johnson died on March 26, 2023, at the age of 20. Natalie was born in Renton, Washington on December 4, 2002. She went to Camelot Elementary, Kilo Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson High School in Federal Way. She did Running Start through Green River College, and went on to study film at the University of New Mexico. She had recently moved to Portland, Oregon and planned to finish her degree there.
She did many things in her too-short life. At school she tried gymnastics, track, wrestling, yearbook, choir, and more. At university, she wrote and photographed for the student paper and was a resident advisor, and she had a variety of jobs from restaurant work to website design to childcare. She was so brave and tried so many new things.
She could play the piano by ear and it was beautiful. She made art in the form of photography, film, music, drawing and writing, some of which can be found at eilatancreations.com. She also made art out of cookies, pancakes, napkins, clay, rocks and birthday cards.
There were so many things Natalie had left to do. She wanted to write and direct films. She had just enrolled in drawing, ceramics and painting classes, and she was planning a trip to Spain this year for a film project. She wanted to travel to Italy, and to see puffins in Maine.
She loved movies and books, rodents, tiny things, strange food combinations, and old cameras.
Natalie was an avid reader of the Federal Way Mirror, a past Hometown Hero (with her friend Annabeth), and an admirer of Olivia Sullivan.
Grieving her loss are her sisters Margalo, Ashlynn and Lily, her brother Ethan, her parents and step-parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, and an extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles and more, all of whom loved her so much. She also had many wonderful friends throughout her life who will remember and miss her.
To honor Natalie, her family requests that you are kind and gentle, that you support local journalism, and that you enjoy a good film.
A private burial will take place at White Eagle Memorial Preserve. A gathering for family and friends will be held on April 23.
