The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Gretchen Dakin passed away September 14 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 86. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bill Dakin, who died in 2012.

Gretchen was born in Winnetka, Illinois, on March 26, 1934. After graduation from New Trier High School, she graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in medical research. She then moved to California to do research at UC Medical Center in San Francisco. It was there that she and Bill started dating. They were married on January 31, 1959, in Illinois. In 1960 they moved to Marin County, California, where they raised two sons, Bill and David.

One of the greatest gifts she shared with her family was her love of the outdoors. Skiing and backpacking were regular family activities.

In 1993 Gretchen and Bill retired to Sisters. Sisters was the perfect place for them to enjoy the outdoors. They both loved to ski, hike, camp and fly-fish. They were involved with the Deschutes Basin Land Trust in the protection of Indian Ford Meadow and preserving critical habitat in Central Oregon.

In 2015 Gretchen moved to Paradise Valley Estates in Fairfield, California, to be closer to her family.

Gretchen was extremely active, continuing to hike, ski and travel well into her mid-80s. She enjoyed trips with her family to Lake Tahoe, hiking and spending time with friends. She also loved horses and looked forward to feeding the horses at Rush Ranch every week.

She is survived by her two sons, Bill and David, daughters-in-law, Julie Haney and Laura Dakin and her loving granddaughters, Kristi and Alyssa.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to one of the following:

• Deschutes Basin Land Trust, 210 NW Irving Ave, Ste. 102, Bend, OR, 97701

• North Bay Hospice, 4520 Business Center Dr., Ste. 160, Fairfield, CA 94534

• Marin Agricultural Land Trust, PO Box 809, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956.