Zoe Louise Waits Obituary
Zoe Louise Waits passed away on July 3rd, 2026, at the age of 35.
She was born on September 25th, 1990, in Reno, Nevada, to Andy and Ruth Waits, and grew up with her brother, Zane and her sister Zina. In recent years, some people knew her as Lilly, though near the end of her life she had begun returning to the name Zoe.
Zoe lived a creative, vivid, and deeply imaginative life. Music, performance, storytelling, and beauty were woven through nearly everything she did. She loved music of almost every kind, though rock and punk rock were closest to her heart. She sang in several musical groups, including The Big Bad Wolf, and lent her voice to fantasy audio work, including Dungeons & Damsels. She modeled for years, an experience she remembered with pride, worked as a photographer, and appeared in commercials, including a promotional piece for the Air Force that remained especially meaningful to her.
Zoe also loved cooking and sharing that love with others. On her YouTube channel, zoewaits, she made videos inspired by national food holidays, bringing curiosity, humor, and playfulness into the kitchen. Baked Alaska was one of the recipes she talked about most.
She had a deep love for antiques, vintage treasures, and things that seemed to carry stories of their own. She often spoke with pride about her connection to the world of antiques and appraisal, including Antiques Roadshow. She had an eye for beautiful, unusual pieces, and even the vintage leather roper boots she wore everywhere felt like part of her.
Zoe lived in many places over the course of her life, from California to Utah, Tennessee, and eventually Portland, Oregon. Portland suited her. She loved its artists, oddballs, dreamers, and passionate people — anyone brave enough to care loudly about the things they loved. She never hesitated to say hello to someone new, offer a compliment, or talk to a stranger like they were already an old friend.
For years, Zoe worked as a Christmas elf at the mall, a role she loved. It fit the part of her that was playful, theatrical, warm, and delighted by wonder. She was drawn to magic in many forms: in stories, in old objects, in music, in beauty, in small rituals, and in the feeling that the world was stranger and more alive than it first appeared. Those who knew her knew she contained many contrasts — goofy and whimsical, formal and proper, quiet and curious, passionate and fiery.
She loved animals, especially her cat Soot and her late cat Cinder, and she had a soft spot for dogs as well. She could find delight in the smallest discoveries: a huge leaf found on a walk through the park, or the perfect stick that might look beautiful in a vase. She called the people she cared about "doodle," a small word of affection that many will remember in her voice.
Zoe's life was not simple, but it was never empty. She had a spark that was entirely her own — her voice, her humor, her creativity, her tenderness, and her ability to make ordinary moments feel charged with possibility.
Zoe mattered deeply. She will be remembered by the people who loved her, laughed with her, sang with her, and saw the light she carried.
