Dana Gill

Dana Louise Gill, 86, of Baker City, died May 22, 2026 at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, ID.  Her celebration of life service will take place Saturday, September 26th at 3:00pm at the Veteran’s Memorial Club, 2005 Valley Ave. in Baker.  An additional memorial will be scheduled at the Enterprise cemetery at a later date.

Dana was born on October 14, 1939 in Joseph, OR to Lynn and Gerville Ward.  Dana was raised in Flora area of Wallowa County and attended school at Pratt through 8th grade, graduated from Enterprise High School in 1957 and then attended Kinman Business University in Spokane, WA.  

She married and moved to Jonesboro AR, returning to Wallowa County about 10 years later where she met her future husband of 38 years George Gill while dancing.  She and George married in September, 1968 and moved to Wallowa. Dana worked in the office at the Wallowa Memorial Hospital and George logged. In 1976, George went to work for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife in animal damage control and the family moved to Medford, OR for a quick eight-month tenure before a position in Baker County opened up and they decided to move closer to their original home. In Baker County, Dana worked for Dr. George Burns in Baker and commuted daily from Richland, OR. After a winter traveling through the canyon, she said they were moving to Baker.  In 1980, Dana went to work for the State of Oregon, Adult and Family Services.  She started as a receptionist and moved to a case worker over her 21-year career.  She served as a union steward for SEIU for several years. After retiring in 2001, she and George wintered in Black Meadow Landing near Lake Havasu City, AZ and enjoyed the great friends, fish fries and new hobbies available without snow. She continued to winter in Parker Strip, AZ after George passed for a total of 19 great years with her AZ crew.

Dana enjoyed life.  She never met a stranger and remembered everyone she ever met. She had a true passion for traveling and planning trips with her trusty road atlas.  After every trip she’d have stories of meeting new friends and running into old ones.  Dana was a big sports fan from football, basketball and baseball to NASCAR and bull riding and was often heard yelling for her favorite teams, drivers and riders from where ever she was watching. She loved to hunt, fish and garden.  Most of all she loved having laughs and a beer with good old friends or new ones, no matter the occasion.

Dana was preceded in death by her husband George Gill who died June 6, 2007; parents Lynn and Gerville Ward and her brother Steve Ward of Enterprise, OR.

She is survived by her son Jon A Rigsbee and his wife Diana, daughter Cindy L LeVeque (Rigsbee), daughter Lisa R Gill-Gonzalez and her husband Noel and stepdaughter Donna Fuchs and her husband Daryl; six grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Thanks to all her friends for the many years of good times, good stories and laughter. Special thanks to Robin Mawhinney and family, Beverly DuBosch and family, Lynne and Steve Hawkins and family and Darce and Jeff Johnson and family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriner’s Children Portland through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home P.O. Box 543 Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com