Natalie Jane Mcmaster

Natalie Jane McMaster, 18, of Frederick, MD, passed away peacefully on January 12, at home, after a 6 ½ year battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Natalie, born March 4, 2003, had a smile that could light up a room.  Throughout her cancer journey, she continued to smile despite all the pain.  She immediately made you feel welcomed when you met her, and she was always trying to make you laugh.  She was funny, and she knew it! She always made it a point to remind her sister that she was the funny one! She was simply amazing, and people are better because they knew her.

She was the strongest person that we know and inspired so many people.  She was always checking up on her friends through text, phone calls, or social media.  She just cared so much for others, and everyone loved to be around her.  It became a “thing,” in the hospital that all the nurses would fight to care for her during their shift, when they saw her name on the chart.  She had a magnetic personality.

She graduated from Thomas Johnson High School in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, while also battling cancer.  She played softball and field hockey for the Patriots and was a member of the National Honor Society. She was accepted to Kutztown University, and had planned to attend there, after taking a gap year to get healthier.  Just a month ago, she was still talking about what she would need to pack “when she goes to college,” not “if she goes to college.” She never gave up. Even though she was sick, she still did everything she could to continue doing the things she loved, like playing softball, going to the beach, and hanging out with her friends. She loved tailgating, going on vacation, boat rides, and playing games.  She couldn’t get enough Maryland hard shell crabs, listening to music, and shopping. Amazon was her favorite website.  That girl could shop!

We are all saddened by Natalie’s passing but take great comfort in the fact that she had such an impact on so many people, not just during her cancer fight, but literally since the day she was born.  She will be in our hearts forever.

Natalie is survived by her parents, Tony and Eileen, and her big sister, Abbey; grandparents, Jim and Rita McMaster and Lynn Panetta; she is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.  She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Big Mike Panetta.

The family will receive friends and family on Friday, January 14 ^th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church, 8428 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD 21702. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, January 15 ^th at 11:00 am, also at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church. At Natalie’s request, please try to avoid wearing all black attire. She wants everyone to wear lots of color, and to celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Make-A-Wish Foundation (https://wish.org/midatlantic)  or Sunshine Kids (https://www.sunshinekids.org).

Natalie’s care has been entrusted to Keeney and Basford Funeral Home of Frederick.  To offer condolences, visit www.keeneybasford.com