Pine View High School

Yale Abernathy - 7/21/1999

Class of 1995

ST. GEORGE, Utah--Yale Andrus Abernathy, also known as Tang Hsiao Hu (Little Tiger), 22, died peacefully at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 21, 1999, from a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a semi-truck on Interstate 15 south of Mesquite, Nevada, on July 8th.

He was born May 16, 1977, in Falls Church, Fairfax County, Virginia, to Patrick Bruce Abernathy and Joyce Marie Jensen Abernathy and is a direct descendent of early St. George colonizers.Yale moved with his family to Hong Kong in early 1978, and there attended Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary School becoming fluent and literate in both the Mandarin and Cantonese dialects of Chinese and winning awards in competition with native Chinese speakers for his proficiency in Mandarin. He also attended Hong Kong International School and excelled in music performance.

In 1992, he returned with his family to America and St. George and attended Pine View Middle School and Pine View High School where he especially relished participating in the music programs under the guidance of gifted and dedicated band leaders. In 1994, on scholarship, he completed the Berklee College of Music Summer Performance Program in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated in 1995 from Snow Canyon High School and attended Dixie College. He was also seminary graduate of the Church Education System.

For a number of years, Yale worked at the China Palace in St. George and felt a kinship with the Kwan family.

Yale had great love for his family and developed deep and lasting bonds of friendship with his brothers, Matthew and Mark, and his sister Holly. His brother Matthew considered him his soul mate, friend and teacher, a feeling shared by all members of his family. Yale loved animals and was especially proud of his Alaskan Malamutes.

Music served as a powerful healer in Yale's life; where Yale was, music was there also. A naturally gifted musician, Yale won honors as a saxophonist and was a proficient pianist, guitarist, and singer. His goal was to continue jazz performance studies at his brother Mark's alma mater, Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Most of all, Yale loved the Lord, Jesus Christ, and knew what it means to love and serve others. Many agree, he was a selfless, compassionate, and charitable young man. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended the Bloomington 2nd Ward, Bloomington Utah Stake.

Yale is survived by his parents, Patrick and Joyce (JJ) Abernathy of Bloomington; brothers, Matthew Blake Abernathy of San Francisco, California, and Mark Patrick Abernathy of Boston, Massachusetts; sister and brother-in-law, Holly Lee and Brandon Lamb of Farmington, Utah; grandmother, Betty G. Abernathy of Bloomington; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Walter Wilson (Budge) Abernathy, Jacob Andrus Jensen and Alma Eileen LaPier Jensen.

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