Kendall Elizabeth Shea Chase '12

Kendall Elizabeth Shea Chase '12 passed away Monday, May 30, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the victim of a drunk driver.

Born and raised in Portola Valley, California, beloved daughter of Laurie Abbott Chase and Andy Chase, she attended Trinity Preschool, Ormondale School, Corte Madera School and Menlo School. She was the guiding light for her younger brothers, Patrick and Zachary, and her many cousins. She danced, passionately and constantly, from age two through the end of college, was a participant in the Bay Area hip-hop dance community, dancing with Funksters SF, and made many friends along the way.

Chase was excited to attend UCLA because of its diversity and wanted to take advantage of all a big school had to offer. She danced with Ferosha and NSU Modern and was an enthusiastic member of Delta Gamma sorority. She was a member of the Ski and Board Club, perfecting her snowboarding skills as the team traveled and bonded.

She graduated from UCLA in 2012 with a degree in design | media arts. Her thesis focused on photography and was a poignant portrayal of the nearby drag queen community. At the age of twenty, Chase met the love of her life, Katie Shea, introduced by Katie's twin brother and Chase's Funksters dance team partner, Kyle Shea.

They became inseparable partners in love and life. After meeting, the couple travelled the world together. Their travel was experiential, and they sought to immerse themselves in every aspect of the cultures they visited; cuisine, design, and fashion all fed their creative spirit.

They were married in October 2021 in a ceremony in Chileno Bay, where they choreographed a flash mob to their favorite Madonna song as a surprise gift to their guests. The video of their dance struck a chord with and inspired so many people and was viewed over 17 million times worldwide.

Chase moved to San Francisco after graduation to begin her career in branding and marketing. At that time she began developing her lifestyle platforms on social media — ChasingKendall.com and @ChasingKendall — sharing her personal mode of self-expression and her broad interests with the world. In 2019, the couple moved to Venice Beach to see what the creative world of L.A. had to offer.

Chase is survived by her wife, Katie Shea Chase; her parents, Laurie Abbott Chase and Andy Chase; her brothers Patrick Chase (Jill), Zachary Chase (Emily Stebbins) and Nicholas Chase; her grandparents, Barbara Chase (Bronxville, New York) and Bill and Jeanette Abbott (Palo Alto, California); and her aunts and uncles, Bill and Marsha Abbott, Bob Abbott, Kristin Abbott, Curtis and Amy Chase, and Peter and Kyle Chase; and countless beloved cousins. She was predeceased by her paternal grandfather, Winsor Chase.

In her obituary, the family writes, "Our lives are diminished by her passing; she will be sorely missed.

"Please consider memorializing Kendall with a gift to the Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, or your local Planned Parenthood chapter."

Read a complete obituary here.