Jeffrey Alan Lake

Jeffrey Alan Lake passed away in Seattle, Washington on July 29, 2026 at the age of 40. Jeff was born at the Community Health Center of Branch County on May 7, 1986 in Coldwater, Michigan to parents Edward C. Lake Jr., MD of Coldwater and Karen Ann (née Foren) Lake, PhD of Issaquah, WA.

Jeff graduated from Coldwater High School in Coldwater, Michigan, in 2004. At age 20, he relocated across the country to Seattle, drawn in by the brooding, mountainous landscape, the culture of the Pacific Northwest, and a chance to be nearer to his brothers, sister, and mother, who lived nearby. He went on to attend the University of Washington in Seattle, earning his degree in Anthropology & Biology on June 12, 2020.

An adventurous spirit, Jeff visited numerous countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. He often spent summers with his family in picturesque Leelanau County in his native state of Michigan. His childhood and adult life were filled with climbing the Sleeping Bear Dunes, swimming and fishing in Lake Michigan, sailing on Little Glen Lake, and otherwise making a habit of getting into mischief and exploring the familiar haunts of Glen Arbor alongside his siblings.

Those who knew him best remember him in their own ways. His dad remembers getting little gifts from Jeff ’s travels, most recently a Japanese Shogun clock that he received after Jeff ’s death. His mother fondly recalls his distinctive and slightly sardonic sense of humor, often softened by genuine affection for those he teased. His brother Edward fondly remembers Jeffrey taking him surfing for the first time on the beaches of Westport, Washington, chatting up the surf shop owner, and making new friends along the way. His sister Erin knew him to be a literary traditionalist at heart; Jeff could often be found lost in the pages of a classical novel or historical narrative. His sister Julianne remembers him showing her the city of Seattle and taking her to Gas Works Park and looking at the beautiful stars and city lights on her first night in Seattle.

Preceded in death by his twin brother and best friend, Alexander, he can now rest in peace, reunited with him at last. Left to cherish his memory are his loving parents; his older brother, Edward Lake III, and younger sister, Julianne Lake, both of Seattle, WA; his younger sister Erin (Adrien) Lake, of Verrières-le-Buisson, France; a young nephew, Gabriel You; and several loving cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Memorials in Jeffrey’s name may be made to The Nick of Time Foundation, P.O. Box 14178, Mill Creek, WA 98082, or The Kimberly Gillery Foundation, 201 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 1020, Troy Michigan 48084 or Teen Feed (my sons volunteered there), 4740 Suite B University Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105.

*Details for services will be determined at a later date.