Dawn Marie Young

Dawn Marie Young (McGrath) lived her 63 years with unmistakable energy, warmth, and an adventurous spirit that shaped every chapter of her life. She passed away peacefully at home in Park City, Utah, on February 24, 2026, surrounded by family.

Dawn was born on April 1, 1962, in the Bronx to Elizabeth Jean McGrath (Lang) and Henry John McGrath. Her parents moved to East Northport, Long Island when she was six, seeking a better life for her and her brother, John McGrath. A standout athlete at Northport High School, she played with a combination of grit and joy that earned her induction into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.

She continued her basketball career at Hofstra University, where she served as captain, was named MVP, and formed friendships that lasted her entire life. She and her 1981–82 team were inducted into the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. After college, Dawn went abroad to play professional basketball in Sweden for one year in 1984, fully embracing life’s newest adventure.

Her life after basketball was no less bold. Dawn moved to Bryson City, North Carolina in 1985 and became a white water river guide, soaking in the wildness of the rivers she ran. She eventually steered towards another calling: nursing. She attended Western Carolina University’s nursing program and discovered a profession that matched her compassion and desire to help others.

After several trips out West, she fell in love with the Rocky Mountains and made her way first to Colorado, then to Utah, where she spent the rest of her life. Park City became Dawn’s home—a place where she could live in a small mountain town while working at a major research university. She spent 32 years at the University of Utah Health, ultimately serving as Nurse Manager of three cardiology units. In 2022, Dawn fulfilled a lifelong dream by earning her master’s degree in public health, a testament to her commitment to learning and her belief in growing throughout her life. After semi retiring, Dawn returned to what she loved most: bedside nursing, working in home health and hospice with the same tenderness she had shown patients her entire career.

Dawn’s greatest joy was raising her two daughters, Virginia and Lauren. She created a home full of laughter and adventure—road trips to San Diego timed so they could reach the beach before the sunset; picnic dinners in the basement watching rom coms; cooking favorite meals together (especially her infamous enchiladas); and annual NYC trips to visit John filled with afternoons spent playing gin rummy at Café Henri’s, long walks through Central Park, and above all else, the excitement of a different pace of life. She instilled in her daughters a deep work ethic, curiosity, and the confidence to chase their own dreams. If one thing is true, it’s that she loved her daughters deeply. One of her greatest joys in her final months was planning and attending Lauren’s wedding.

In 2010, Dawn met the love of her life, Brad Casper, whose calm, steady nature was the perfect balance to her fiery, determined spirit. They married on August 18, 2013. Together they built a life rich with projects, gardens, animals, traveling, and shared dreams. Dawn was happiest when she was working with her hands in the dirt—nurturing vegetables in the greenhouse Brad built her, pulling weeds under the sun, tending to her cats and chickens, or learning to keep bees at age 60 so her cucumbers would thrive. If Dawn imagined something, Brad’s tools and skillset made it a reality.

Living an active, healthy life defined Dawn. When she moved to Utah she fell in love with hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. Later on, when back issues meant she needed to step away from skiing and biking, she continued to hike and leaned into yoga, practicing faithfully for more than 20 years. Even after her diagnosis of stage IV metastatic pancreatic cancer on September 1, 2025, she remained committed to movement and strength. Following chemo treatments, she could often be found at the gym with her brother—walking laps, lifting weights, and even dribbling a basketball. Her body changed, but her unstoppable spirit never dimmed.

Please join in celebration of Dawn’s life on Saturday, April 11, at 11:00 am at Red Butte Garden in the Orangerie, where we will gather one last time with family, friends, food, and drinks—just as she loved to do. The space, located on the University of Utah campus where she spent so much of her career and filled with the plants she loved so dearly, reflects the beauty, warmth, and vibrancy with which she lived her life. We invite you to wear something bright or floral. All are welcome!

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to Women for Women International, an organization Dawn supported for more than 25 years, or to the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the teams at Huntsman Cancer Institute and Applegate Homecare and Hospice for the exceptional love, dignity, and care they provided to Dawn in her final months.

In Dawn’s memory: health is all we have, so get (your ass) up and move! Namaste.