Amanda Kaye Yates, 82, was born 11/11/38 in Mount Pleasant, Utah. She passed away at 7:38 a.m. on March 29th, 2021. Though she battled acute pancreatitis, you would almost never know it because she always had a positive outlook and did not dwell on negativity. When she took her last breath, she was surrounded by the love of her daughter Brandy, granddaughter Amanda, grandson Justin, and great-grandchildren Jordan, Jaymie, and Gage.

Everyone loves and reveres stories of the lone wolf, but few appreciate the beauty, power, and warmth of belonging to a pack, and no one—we mean no one—made you feel like you were part of her pack like Manda Kaye. She took care of her grandparents at the end of their lives moving them into her home on Hercules Drive along with her three young kids, Wayne Ardell Shepherd, Chad Lewis Shepherd, and Shonell Kaye Shepherd-Olsen-Williams. Her Daughter Brandy Agnes Yates-Christensen came a few years after. She guarded her little pack fiercely and over the years it grew as she took in her children’s friends, her adult children, grandchildren, even her dear friends and their kids, all at different times. Essentially, she created a pack that still has deep ties today. Even if they weren’t blood, they too had a place to belong. And once in a while, you’d feel her nip if you needed to.

She and her children leaned on each other throughout their lives and each had their own special bond. As they helped each other through the tough times, she always tried to maintain her fun-loving attitude and she carried that attitude throughout her life. She was not particularly religious, yet she had a deep connection to Native American spirituality and traditions. She believed that she would “never go without” and often spoke the mantra, “I’m happy, healthy, safe, and free. The universe will always provide for me.” To Manda Kaye everyone deserved all good, not just some good. She had her own vocabulary and sayings that helped guide her through a rough childhood and so many heartbreaking moments throughout her life’s journey.   

And even as she gathered her pack over the years, drawing them close in her warmth when they needed it and letting them roam when they needed that, she had the personality of a lone wolf in that she was unapologetically one of a kind. She didn’t suffer societal expectations, was authentic before it was in vogue, and wasn’t like anyone else around her, not in her family growing up or in adulthood. You might say she was the Mae West of Sanpete County.

Like any wolf, she loved the outdoors, camping, fly fishing, hunting, gardening, building bonfires (before they too were in vogue), drinking beer, listening to tunes or playing the guitar and singing “I Won’t Go Huntin’ With You Jake”. She and her pack played cards late into too many nights to count and invariably she would end up with any spare change they may have thrown in the kitty. But there was nothing more important to her than being surrounded by her pack, enjoying each other’s company, spending one-on-one time with her grand and great-grandkids, making “magic eggs” and playing in the “summer ditch”. Towards the end of her life, she moved in with her granddaughter Amanda Kaye Shepherd, her husband Justin and their three kids. They all gave her love and hugs as well as care daily. She trusted the process of life, did things her way, and never looked back. And though her pack grew smaller towards the end, the mourning howls of all who loved her can be heard far and wide.

Amanda’s Celebration of Life party will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021, from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Millcreek Inn located at 5802 Mill Creek Canyon Rd., Salt Lake City, UT 84109. 

Please feel welcome to come celebrate Huma/Manda Kaye’s life with us by sharing memories and laughter together.