Elizabeth Stormont Yanicks (Storm) passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends, at the age of 87, on December 14, 2023. Storm was beloved for her sense of humor, optimism, and enthusiasm for everyone in her life, especially her children, her grandchildren and her grandniece and grandnephews. In her office hung a beanie cap that declared “I don’t want to grow up,” which accurately reflected her youthful attitude.
Storm was born in Seattle to Tommy and Tom Jobs. She graduated from Queen Anne High School and remained an enthusiastic member of her class’s reunion committee all her life. A journalism major at the University of Washington, she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, edited the 1957 TYEE yearbook, and became a member of Mortar Board. After graduating, Storm married Don Culbertson and worked as advisor for student activities at the UW before the birth of their first child James. They divorced in the early 80s and remained friends, celebrating holidays as a family even after she married the love of her life, Milt Yanicks, a career-long teacher on Mercer Island, in 1984. Passionate about writing, editing, and the outdoors, Storm worked for 26 years at Mountaineers Books, continuing to manage their library even after retiring.
Storm was an Anglophile at heart and loved her 18 trips to England and Scotland, where she visited family and toured extensively. She shared her love of afternoon tea with a tea group that endured more than 20 years. She was a builder and collector of miniatures and an avid gardener at home and with three P-patch plots. Storm loved genealogy research and published two family history books, and at the time of her death, she was finishing an illustrated memoir that documented daily life in the mid-twentieth century. Storm cared deeply about social justice and the needs of her community and the wider world. She volunteered at the Food Bank and contributed countless pounds of produce from her gardens to it. She also volunteered regularly with political campaigns and marched for causes she supported. After retirement, she was chairman of the Retired Rovers, a committee within The Mountaineers, and enjoyed many hikes with them.
Storm is survived by her son James Culbertson and his wife Nan Hammett, six grandchildren, sister-in-law Susan Jobs, nephew David Jobs, niece Kathy Jobs Gerke (Brian) and grandnieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her son Jeff, her daughter Julie, and her brother Peter.
A memorial service will be held at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church on Sunday, July 14th at 2pm.
