- Date Of Birth: July 4, 1939
- Date Of Death: January 27, 2009
- State: Montana
Gayer Gardner Dominick, II age 69, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2009 surrounded by family in his home in Whitefish, Montana, ending his battle with renal cell cancer. He was born in New York, New York on Independence Day, 1939 to Bayard and Elizabeth (Yallalee) Dominick.
He attended Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, received his Bachelor of Art’s Degree from Yale University in Connecticut, a Master’s in American History from the University of Hawaii and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan.
Proposing to her on their second date, he and Patty moved to Hawaii shortly after graduation from Yale, where he taught high school and went to graduate school and his first two children, Tracey and Bayard, were born. His intrigue and interest in politics led him to law school in Michigan where his daughter, Wendy, was born, before moving to Olympia, Washington.
While he successfully practiced law in Olympia, Washington for over 35 years, he did not measure his success in financial terms. His greatest successes were those that touched people on a personal level. Helping a couple to adopt a child, or helping a friend of one of his children get into college.
He was the founder and coach of the Cooper Point Kickers in Olympia, WA. He taught his children to play tennis, fish, hike, ski, sail, dig clams and generally appreciate life. He was a mentor and advisor to dozens of kids, part-time teacher at the local community college, llama, bison, Hereford, Scottish Highlander, sheep, goat and miniature donkey rancher, political activist and philanthropist, serving on many not-for-profit boards and often “giving” more than he could afford. His interests were diverse and seemingly complicated but the pleasures he took in them simple. He cared about people, especially young people.
At the root of his soul he wanted to help people and did so on any occasion he could. The reward for such a life is that he was loved by many and will be missed by all, especially his family and his two Havanese dogs, Bear and Benny.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bayard and Elizabeth Dominick of New Canaan, CT and by his father-in-law, Bayard Coggeshall of Brookside, NJ.
He is survived by the love of his life, Patricia C. Dominick and his three married children; Tracey and Scott Gerber of Pound Ridge, NY, Bayard and Hunter Dominick of Whitefish, MT, and Wendy and Chris Wilkinson of Oakland, CA. Affectionately known as “Grumps” by his seven grand children for whom he was most proud.
