Justin Kyle Yandell was born in Ada, Oklahoma on April 20, 1979, and passed away in Spring, Texas on July 2, 2024.

He is preceded in death by his beloved Penma, Eileen Cody.

Justin is survived by his adoring wife of 21 years, Nikki Yandell; his parents, Gerald and Cindy Yandell; brother, Brandon Yandell, wife Kim and their children, Everett and Violet; brother Ryan Yandell and wife Sunisa Phanaworakul; Grandpa, Charlie Cody; and sweet goldendoodle, Destiny S. Pumpkins (Desi).

Visitation will be held from 5-8 PM on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at Klein Funeral Home, 1400 W. Main, Tomball, TX 77375. A funeral service for Justin will be held at 2 PM on Friday, July 12, 2024, at Klein Funeral Home – Tomball (business casual dress).  Family and friends unable to attend in-person who would like to watch the service live-stream, please contact via email:   just.our.yandell@gmail.com.   Live-stream links will be sent to the email address you use for your request.

He attended Klein Oak High School (Class of 1997) and graduated from the University of North Texas (Class of 2001) as a student of film, television, radio and writing.

At the age of 15, Justin was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He survived 18 months of aggressive surgery and chemotherapy, many uncertain hospital stays and periods of intense side effects from the treatment. With his mother as a fierce protector throughout these trials, Justin managed to maintain close friendships and would find ways to experience joy with his friends and family through movies and games.

From a young age, Justin found joy in various forms of storytelling including books, movies, video games, and comics. As he grew, Justin dedicated his time and passion to what others may call hobbies. A self-taught writer and artist, young Justin created entire worlds with stories and illustrations he shared with friends and family. Over time, these stories grew into hand-drawn comic books, carefully pieced together action figures and one well-worn hand-painted t-shirt. A well-versed connoisseur of movie quotes and walking comic book encyclopedia, Justin's creativity and love of stories spread to those around him, especially his two younger brothers.

Growing up in Spring, Justin's life revolved around the things he and his siblings loved. This was reflected in his career choices – starting as a teen working for a gas station video store and a mall comic/sports collectables store. In Denton at UNT, where he met and eventually married Nikki, Justin progressed to Blockbuster associate, an Assistant Manager at a movie theater, a writer for a syndicated DFW radio show (Kidd Kraddick in the Morning), and a short stint as a front desk clerk at the dormitory that held so many college memories for him. After moving to Austin, Justin became a Game Master for Blizzard Entertainment and spent the bulk of his years as a Freelance Writer and Artist (including ghost writing, co-writing, script writing, short-fiction and novella writing, writing tutor and editor, comic artist, storyboard artist, and more).

Justin always wished to be a father (as good as his own dad, he'd say), sadly, he and Nikki were never blessed with children; however, the couple showered love on a fish, a hamster, five cats, and their incredible doodle, Desi. Justin showed his little furry family and wife so much love and protection over the years they were together.

In 2015, Justin faced a second rare cancer diagnosis: Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma. Without a successful treatment protocol in site – Justin's Herculean stubbornness propelled him into a 9-year journey through a plethora of doctors and treatments to outlast the slow-growing cancer until a cure was refined. Even after all options were exhausted, Justin continued to focus on those he loved until his last moments.