Sarah Elizabeth Stiltner

A private service will be held for close friends and family. Please contact family directly for more information.

Words from the family

Dearest Sarah - beloved daughter, devoted big sister, niece, granddaughter, cousin and friend to many. We are devastated, left in shock and with immeasurable sadness. We are so very grateful for the time we had with you. Our only consolation is that we know your spirit and essence are with a Higher Power who(m) we call God.

Sarah is a Seattle girl, having attended public schools in northeast Seattle. Sarah excelled academically and was driven to do her best always. Her mother recalls a weekend afternoon when Sarah had been studying for hours in her room, as she often did, and suddenly there was a shriek. “I got it”. Sarah had solved a difficult Calculous problem and was delighted with herself.

Sarah played flute in middle and high school- 1st chair. She practiced diligently and we loved to hear her play. Many of her friends today she met in school band.

Sarah had many passions- she loved animals. We had a variety of pets throughout the years. She leaves behind two French bulldogs- Henri and Isabelle- and two cats- Ally(as in alley cat) and Frankie.

Another passion of Sarah’s was a commitment to public service. She wanted her work to matter, to address inequities and correct wrongs.

Sarah attended Stanford University where she earned a BA in International Relations with a Minor in Modern Languages: Spanish and Modern Greek. Fluent in Spanish, she spent 3 months in Santiago, Chile as part of her academic program. We were surprised and proud of her for moving out of state for college. Sarah was a shy, reserved person who walked gently on this earth. She knew what she wanted and pursued it despite the challenges.

After college Sarah moved to Washington DC where she interned with Senator Maria Cantwell and Senator Jon Tester of Montana. Sarah learned that one of her responsibilities was to conduct Capitol tours. At first she was mortified because she didn’t like public speaking. She accepted the challenge and did a tour for us when we visited her. She had such poise and confidence. We were so proud.

When Sarah returned to Seattle, she worked for the Puyallup Tribe on projects for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Children and Relatives. She wanted to contribute to making the lives of others better.

We have so many wonderful memories. Some are from trips we made as a family but most of all the routines of raising children day after day. The soccer, basketball and pizza parties we attended. The years when her dad worked from home, made breakfast and took his daughters to school. Just spending time together. Sarah and her sister, Anna, were best friends. They had special names of endearment for each other - Sarah was "Munae" and Anna was "Bouzay."

We used to attend Mariner games when our daughters were younger. At the 7th inning stretch when we sing Take me Out to the Ballgame , we discovered Sarah was singing very seriously - fruit, fruit fruit for the home team. So funny!

As Sarah got older we watched a few special movies together with The Office running in between. She liked watching Mulan and Bridget Jones Diary. Both movies about courageous women. Sarah was not all seriousness. She loved spending time with her friends and having fun.

Sarah had many gifts and accomplishments but the most important quality about her was her kind, generous and loving heart. She was compassionate and empathetic toward her family and friends. She was especially committed to her sister, Anna, who missed her terribly after she left for college.

Sarah -We miss you every moment of every day.