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Chaya Grace Stillwater-Lanz Wednesday Oct 26, 2016 at 2:00 AM Our beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, Chaya Grace Stillwater-Lanz left this world September 30, 2016. Born in a small log cabin in the California Sierras, Chaya grew up surrounded by the beauty of nature, in California as well as southern Oregon. On our first visit to Oregon Creek in the Sierras when she was two, she ran across the sand with her arms spread wide and didn't stop at the edge, rather she went right into the softly flowing water and had her first dunk. This might have been the precursor for her approach to all things delightful . . . roller skating, biking, horseback riding. She was riding Frosty, her first horse, out of an arena one day after a show and he took off at a gallop. As we approached asking her where she was going so fast she said, "I don't know, I'm just hanging on!" Her love of horses began at an early age and continued throughout her life. Though small in stature, her spirit was enormous and strong. She rode horses with confidence and skill. Our family moved to Ashland in 1985 and Chaya attended school from kindergarten through high school, graduating in 1998. After high school, she attended a fashion design school in Seattle; then Portland Community College, earning her AA; and more recently Southern Oregon University, and had just one more term to complete for her bachelor of fine arts. Her experience at SOU was life changing and deeply rewarding. Chaya was also a writer who kept her thoughts, ideas, and sketches in dozens of notebooks. She was committed to her work in the arts. Throughout the years of going to school and developing her relationship with horses, she supported herself in the service industry. Chaya leaves behind her mother, Lynn Stillwater of Ashland, Ore. Her brother, Caleb Gostnell; sister-in-law, Ada Otter; and niece, Maia Grace Otter-Gostnell all live in Seattle, Wash. Her father, John Lanz preceded her in death in 2004. Chaya loved learning about the night sky, the constellations, and stars. She believed she came from a star and was going to return to it one day. When you see a shooting star, it just might be Chaya sparkling across the sky and saying hello. A memorial event for family and friends will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, October 29, 2016 at the Brickroom on the Plaza in Ashland. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the ongoing Chaya Stillwater-Lanz Scholarship for SOU Art Students with Moxi. This scholarship is part of Southern Oregon University's endowment program. Checks can be made out to Southern Oregon University Endowment Fund for the Chaya Stillwater-Lanz Scholarship for Moxi in the Arts.