Natalie Ellen Siegel
March 19, 1929 - October 31, 2024
Obituary
Natalie Ellen (Skud) Siegel, 95, passed away Thursday 31 October 2024 from complications of heart failure. Natalie was born 19 March 1929 in Bessemer Township, Michigan to Elmer Skud and Beatrice Berger. She is survived by her loving sister Rita Kades, cherished sons Daniel (Tamara Farrar), Eli (Mary Smith) and Matthew (Deborah Caul), her granddaughter Adah, grandson Nathan, as well as many nieces, nephews, and grand (and great grand) nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 56 years, Sheldon Siegel.
Natalie grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin, graduating from Wausau (Wisconsin) High School in 1946. She received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison in 1950 and her masters in Psychiatric Social Work from the University of Chicago in 1952. She married Sheldon in Chicago in 1956, and they moved to Detroit the next year. In 1968 they moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where they lived for 11 years followed by 9 years in Cincinnati and 25 in Indianapolis. Natalie’s final move after she was widowed was to Seattle in 2013 where she lived until her death. Natalie worked in a variety of social work positions at agencies in each of these places, as well as having a private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist for more than 45 years. She was a member of and had many leadership positions in both the AAMFT (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists), the NASW (National Association of Social Workers), and served as the President of the Michigan Association of Marriage Counselors. She had an active mind as exhibited by her returning to university to work on a Doctorate of Education, which was awarded in 1993 from the College of Education at the University of Cincinnati.
Natalie had numerous interests throughout her life which included cooking (and eating!), travel, bridge, theater, painting, and lifelong learning. She attended the Stratford (Ontario) Shakespeare festival every year from the inaugural Festival in 1953 until she moved to Seattle in 2013. She travelled to all seven continents and will be missed by her many friends across the world. Once established in the Mirabella retirement community in Seattle, she was a member of the Movie Club, the Book Club, the Bridge Club, the Lifelong Learning Committee, and founded the Supportive Friends group.
A private ceremony honoring Natalie’s life has been held. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sheldon and Natalie Siegel Scholarship Fund c/o IU Foundation, PO Box 6460, Indianapolis IN 46206-6460.
Funeral arrangements have been faithfully entrusted to Bonney Watson Washington Memorial Funeral Home, located at 16445 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA 98188. For any inquiries, please contact the funeral home at (206) 242-1787.
