I still remember when Nate started playing lacrosse. He didn’t start as a goalie - not at first. He was a close in defender - maybe because Grant was (or despite of it!)? Very early on, I remember when he told us he was gonna be goalie. Leslie and I were pretty unsure. If any of you have not picked up a lacrosse ball - it’s heavy and it’s not very soft😳! The thought of Nate having those things whipped at him as hard as people could throw it was not something we were excited about 😬. I still remember when we were talking to Nate about it and explaining this to him, telling him it could be really painful and questioning if that was the best use of his skills. We asked him: “Is this really what you want to do?
His answer: “ they’re gonna make somebody on the team do it and nobody else wants too. I’m gonna do it for the team.”
Already at that age (look at some of the photos, I don’t even know if he was 10 yet), that was our Nate. Selfless. Sacrificing for others. Backing up his teammates. I doubt he knew at that point that the goalie was the leader of the entire defense. I am quite certain that being the goalie helped developed his character and leadership. I think he loved that part of it. He loved the challenge of tracking the ball and knowing where people should be and figuring out adjustments as things happened. He loved being the last line of defense and knew it hurt all of them when a goal was scored.
Thank you to all those defenders and midfield boys for protecting the 🥅.
Special thank you to those lacrosse coaches that helped develop and shape Nate's and most importantly his character!
Now Nate is in the ultimate goal for all of us.
10
I had the privilege of sharing a room with Nate and Bella in NOLA for Fiji formal. Nate lit up the room as soon as he walked in. I didn’t know anyone except my date at the time and he made me feel welcome and was so much fun to be around, my stomach hurt from laughing at his jokes. One night our waitress “Dior” called Nate her best friend and I remember him tipping her well. He also let me have the rest of his Powerade. He took pictures of everyone and was a great hype man. He made the trip so fun and memorable and I loved seeing his relationship with Bella, he was so great to her. Nate is someone you don’t forget and he was truly a very special person and will be deeply missed.
3
Nate and his roommates were some of the first people I met my freshman year of college. I wandered into Bates West and randomly ran into them. I noticed he was in my Business Calc class, and every day I thought he was the smartest person in that room, volunteering to answer literally every question the professor asked. Although Nate and I weren’t super close after that first year, he still left a mark on me. I kept in touch with some of his friends, so I’d hear about him every now and then. He made a lasting impression on me. Just one of those people you don’t forget. Rest easy, Nate. Keep an eye on all of us down here. ❤️
2
Well, for the Bates guys, we are blessed with an overwhelming amount of small moments. But, those are the best. There were very few days where I could come home from class without finding Nate laying on our futon. After going to Bates diner, playing pool, and eating a “BD” burger, Nate would beg us all to do a movie night. More often than not, the movies were terrible but it was being together that I know Nate enjoyed the most. A “Bates Boys” movie night required one additional thing, Sunbay Cellars. Sunbay Cellars was the finest $3 bottle of red wine that the College QuikMart had to offer. Nate would always insist that the gentleman behind the counter supplied us with brown paper bags, to really class it up. All of these small moments are what I’ve been thanking God and Nate for these past few days, they sum him up. Always down to be with friends, act goofy, and build a culture of love and happiness that keeps a kid from New York at a southern school. I owe him everything, but until we meet again, take care of the Promised Land for me Buddy.
4
Nate was probably the only person who played on teams with all 3 Jarvis boys. Little Nate and Sam played basketball and Lego League together. And Nate played on several different lacrosse teams with Jake and Daniel. I’ve cheered on the sidelines countless times with Leslie and Dan for our boys. I loved watching Nate lock in as goalie. We could count on him. Nate had an infectious joy that permeated his friendships, classrooms and teams. His huge smile was easy to spot while goofing off or encouraging teammates. I looked around for those silly lacrosse portraits that surprised the moms when they came home in those big envelopes. That was a great laugh. In everything he did, Nate had hustle and a great big heart. He was rooted in love, and I pray God will continue to grant peace and love to his friends and family that miss him so much.
2
Nate joined the neighborhood FLL robotics team during the third grade. For reasons I have never understood, they named themselves Super Sword Smash. It was the most quintessentially third grade name ever. In another only-third-graders-would-do-this decision, they incorporated exploding spider bots into their research project solution. I remember them choosing their senior partner (it was the Senior Solutions season) because it was a team member's grandmother whose claim to fame amongst the kids was that she was missing a toe. I will always remember Nate as being exceedingly kind, a good friend, a supportive team member, and someone who committed fully to his experience with openness and curiosity. His light shone brightly even then.
4
Richmond, VA, USA
Nate and friends at a Christmas dinner
— with
Grant Baker,
Gage Gunderson
and Patrick Marshall
3
2024, Lake Anna, Virginia, USA
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