Oregon mall victim’s family focuses on gun violence

PORTLAND, Ore. — Cindy Yuille’s family — and 4-year-old dog, Jack — will hold a funeral soon for her, about a year after she was killed. She told her family she wanted to be buried in the back yard of their Portland home, but instead her husband, daughter and son have been spreading her ashes all over the world — the Bahamas, Florida, Canada’s Lake Louise.

Yuille loved to travel, so the family planned all those trips before 22-year-old Jacob Roberts shot and killed her at the Clackamas Town Center on Dec. 11, 2012.

Leaving some ashes as they climbed the South Sister near Bend seemed a fitting tribute to a woman, who in her mid-50s took the lead to the top of Sacagawea Peak in the Wallowa Mountains, leaving men behind her who couldn’t make the trip.

Yuille is still a huge part of the family’s lives. The trees and garden she planted around their Portland home is still the urban jungle forest she intended. Her quilts hang over a window and on the back of the living room couch.

But, her death has changed the focus of her family’s life. Now her daughter and husband spend their free time organizing and lobbying around preventing gun violence.

At first, Jenna Passalacqua, Yuille’s daughter, was reluctant to get involved in politics. Her friend encouraged her, bringing her to a town hall-style meeting about gun violence just a month after the shooting. At the end, her friend pushed her to speak, and she relented, finding that just thanking the people who attended made them stop and pay attention.

She visited Robert Yuille, Cindy’s husband, that week and discovered he had also recently talked publicly about the issue. They decided that they had to keep going.

A year later, they are still committed. They are working with Paul Kemp, the brother-in-law of the other Clackamas Town Center victim Steve Forsyth, to put together a local group of advocates for responsible gun ownership.

The two are gearing up for next session and are learning the ins and outs of the system along the way — including the frustration that comes along with politics.

Passalacqua said they almost didn’t testify during past session, because the bills introduced were too lofty, or too weak.

“Come back next year when you’re ready to introduce some real bills,” Passalacqua said of her attitude at the time.

“You have to be able to compromise with people and not take away their things,” Robert Yuille said.

That’s why their Gun Owners for Responsible Gun Ownership group is targeted to the middle, or the “silent majority” as they call it. They stress that they want common-sense measures, such as “safe storage” laws that hold gun owners accountable for keeping guns locked up and unloaded for storage.

“If the guy that owned the gun that killed Cindy had been responsible enough to lock up his gun, we would not be sitting here today,” Yuille said.

It’s tough for the pair to keep up with full-time jobs, raising 14-year-old Hunter Yuille and focusing on gun issues, but they smile when explaining that not only would Cindy do the same for them, but would do it better.

“I don’t think either of us would have the energy to do this,” Passalacqua said. “I’m exhausted.”

And they find it therapeutic to talk about Cindy Yuille, even though it means revisiting one of their worst days over and over.

“We’re not rehashing,” Robert Yuille said. “We’re living it every day.”

They planned to be at the Clackamas mall Monday for a memorial service and to speak, including Hunter, who hasn’t spoken publicly about his loss before. He’s understandably a little nervous.

Passalacqua took Hunter school shopping at the Town Center because he wanted to go to some stores that aren’t in Portland. But they try to stay away. “It doesn’t look good when you start crying and people start staring at you,” Robert Yuille said.

Over the past year, they say they’ve learned how wonderful the Portland community can be. They ran out of room in the refrigerator in the weeks after the shooting as people poured their sympathy into meals.

Cindy Yuille always cooked — everything made from scratch, except maybe pancakes — so they appreciated the meals.

The mall also delivered all the stars people filled out as part of the mall’s memorial for the victims. Passalacqua read them all, Robert and Hunter are still working their way through.

“That stuff matters,” Passalacqua said. “It makes an impact. It’s nice to know people really care.”

———

Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.