“If you can be one thing, be kind,” read a favorite quote that Yuki Averill hand-colored and hung by her door for years. It reflected how she lived and how she hoped others would live.
The longtime Chehalis resident, more recently of Seattle and Shoreline, died April 5, 2026, at age 97 after holding her own against Alzheimer's disease and Vascular dementia for more than a decade. While the diseases robbed her of some abilities, she maintained a calm, sweet personality throughout her life.
Yuki was born Feb. 3, 1929, near Hachinohe, Japan, to Motozo and Sue Murakami. Yuki married Fred Averill in 1952. They had five children, Vernon, Steven, Richard, Joe and Judy. Through Fred’s Army service, they lived in several countries and numerous states before settling in Chehalis for more than 40 years. Yuki and Fred were married nearly 65 years when he died in 2016.
Yuki didn’t talk much, but her smile and the twinkle in her eyes could light up a room. When she did speak, it was often to support and bring happiness to others.
A lifelong learner, Yuki started working when she was a child following the death of her mother. She went on to work in food, horticulture, childcare and technology, among other fields. Some of the places where she worked and made friends included Roy’s Chuckwagon, Herb “Mr. Primrose” Dickson’s Chehalis Rare Plant Nursery, Dell’s Daycare and Pacific Applied Science.
She found joy in being creative. Her hobbies included flower arranging, gardening, crafting, playing games and cooking. She and Fred also enjoyed road trips, walks with their dog, social gatherings and decorating their home for the holidays.
The family is grateful to all the people who met Yuki with kindness over the decades as she faced challenges that came with moving to new places, raising five kids, learning new jobs, confronting prejudices and coping with health issues. Their knowledge and support made life richer for Yuki and those around her.
Yuki’s cremains will be placed with her late husband’s at Tahoma National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Kline Galland Hospice or The Memory Hub, a University of Washington Medicine project that supports dementia-friendly communities.
Remembrance suggestion: Be kind.
