Storyteller Dan O’Gara died Monday at the age of 76 at UC San Francisco Hospital surrounded by his family. O’Gara was flown to the hospital following a massive stroke that came on unexpectedly while he was cutting wood near his home in Trinidad.
In recent years O’Gara was best known as founder of the North Coast Storytellers and for starting the annual Storytelling Festival by the Sea. Born in Los Angeles, he spent much of his life as a teacher, working alongside his wife Penne teaching in Columbia and Indonesia before settling in Trinidad and teaching at Worthington and Grant schools in Eureka.
After retiring in 1995, he split his time between passions, working with the local, state and national park system as an interpreter, stewarding a 48-acre stand of redwoods and fir along Luffenholtz Creek in Trinidad, and spinning tales, many of them gathering in his world travels. He was in the midst of helping plan the next Storytelling Festival by the Sea when he died.
He is survived by his wife Penne, their three children and eight grandchildren. The family will gather with friends for a celebration of his life at Trinidad Town Hall on July 2, Dan’s birthday.
This article appears in Waiting for Chinn.
A wonderful man and a friend to many at Morris Elementary and all of the area schools he served with his generosity.
So sorry to hear about Dan’s passing. He was a favorite teacher of my children at Grant Elementary. My sympathy to his family.
My deepest compassion and loving support to Penne and family. What a wonderful example of love you and Dan have shared with so many that know you.
Tributes will pour in, describing an intelligent, compassionate, interesting, fun human who was a force for good in this world. Dan will deserve those tributes, because of who he was at heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to Penne and their children.
Mr. O’Gara was my favorite teacher. I am a teacher now, and I think of him often. He taught me so much….art, poetry, love of nature. Today I bought “Where the Sidewalk Ends” for my classroom in honor of Mr. O’Gara.
Is Sean O’Gara (graduate of Mack High around 1985 a relative? – HOJ
Our Deepest sympathy to the O’Gara family. What a wonderful man & storyteller. It was a gift to have known Dan. The Morris community will miss him.
There once was an Irish man, that touched the world with his light.
What a bright light he was to us all! Many many warm thoughts and prayers to the O”Gara Family. Dan perpetuated the life of an ideal community member and I can honestly say he inspired me to live my life this way too! Hugs to you Penne, as well as your family!
My 3rd grade teacher! Always remembered. Peace
Such an inspiring man, he indeed will be missed, Much respect and sympathies to Penne and family. Tales will be told and words will rise up for him as he travels on.
I first met Dan when I came as storyteller in residence at the Ink People in Eureka. He took me round schools and shared his home and his stories with me. There followed trips both ways between Ireland and California and he featured at the Ulster Storytelling Festival here in Northern Ireland. We told many tales during visits with family and friends. It was a privilege to have known him and I send my deepest sympathy to Penne and the whole loving family circle. He will be a sad loss not only to them but to the whole community in Humboldt County and to the wider storytelling community.
We lost a gentleman and a fine friend. He spearheaded the Sumeg Yurok Village Days at Patrick’s Point State Park for many years. I had great respect for him. My sympathies to Penne and the entire family.
Dan was a bright light and inspiration to his whole family! Through his actions and deeds,
an appreciation for the environment and the basic most important life lessons were learned!
He was truly one of a kind and will be greatly missed! My thoughts and prayers to Penne, Robin, Tim, Sean and their families.
So sorry to hear of Dan’s passing.What an honor it has been to be able to serve him all these years here at Mccrea.He will be missed dearly.Always a pleasure to see and talk with him when he came in to get his vehicles service and checked out.One of a kind and from what I read here,a true inspiration to so many all over the world.What a life to celebrate!!!!
I met Dan while visiting his home in Trinidad with Robin and Bruce (his daughter and her future husband). Dan and I had some discussions on the nature of evil that had quite an impact on me. He told me some stories! I feel so sad that he’s gone. I won’t get the chance to see him again… I miss him.