Obituary --
Dawn Renee Barnhisel died July 17, 2011, at home in Sacramento, Calif. She was 53.
There will be a service at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at St. Francis Chapel at Saint Francis High School.
She was born Sept. 14, 1957, to Linda Muir and Gil Agronis. Her mother later married Jack Ray Barnhisel who adopted Dawn and her brother Doug.
Dawn spent most of her life in Sacramento, growing up in Ranch Cordova and spending a few years in Nevada City.
She graduated Saint Francis High School in Sacramento and then went on to earn her bachelor's from National University.
Dawn married husband Carey Krantz on Aug. 11, 2001. She met Carey while working at Interstate Brands.
Working for the state of California for the past six years, she most recently worked as a program analyst for the DGS Department of Fleet Management.
Dawn loved spending time with her husband and her cats in their garden, swimming and snorkeling in the ocean and traveling the world, her favorite places being England, Mexico and Hawaii.
Endowed with many talents, she loved weaving, cooking, and hiking and had a deep admiration and respect for animals, especially cats, whales and dolphins.
Dawn is survived by husband, Carey; parents, Linda Muir and Gil Agronis; stepfather, Bill Muir; brother, Doug; and sisters, Dee Dee, Devie, and Diane.
Memorial contributions can be made to Ovarian Cancer Research and SSPCA.
Additional from OCRF Wall of Hope --
Dawn Barnisel
Dedication:
This is dedicated to Dawn Renee, our beloved sister, daughter, wife and friend. For the past 10 years, Dawn fought ovarian cancer with incredible courage, grace and often, humor. So strong was her love for us that she tried hard as she could for as long as she could to protect us from the pain she endured and the loss and deep sorrow we are now left with. She passed away in her sleep on Sunday morning, July 17th 2011 with her husband Carey and brother Doug by her side. She is survived by them, her parents, sisters, family and many friends, all of whom will be forever touched by knowing her.
Some might be inclined to say that she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 53 but that would be missing the point of her life. The reality is that she was the winner because her greatest gift to us was to show us all how to live and become the victor over adversity. She never allowed the cancer to steal her identity and in that way she will always be Dawn Renee, the Victorious.
Personal Description:
Dawn was born in Waco, Texas on September 14th , 1957. She grew up in Rancho Cordova, California where she attended St. John Vianney for 8 years, then attended and graduated from St. Francis High School in Sacramento and National University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts.
From 1984 through 2000, she held various positions at The San Francisco French Bread Company (where she ultimately met her husband Carey) and went on to open up her own truffle business, "Sweet Somethings". Once married, she began teaching theology classes at St Francis High School. For the last six years she's been working for the State of California, most recently at DGS Office of Fleet Management.
Dawn had many passions and was blessed with enviable creative talents. A very visual person, she had a keen eye for color, design and the aesthetic and was drawn to all things beautiful and natural. She could weave cloth on her loom, knit a plush scarf, or design and tender a lush and plentiful garden. Her favorite color was green...
A "foodie" to the core, Dawn loved cooking for friends and family and was always especially health conscious and disciplined, understanding the many benefits that a Vegan diet, and nutrition had on her body, her overall health and well being. She once said that by being a Vegan she "just felt right, felt fully committed on every level".
Dawn's inner life was just as rich and vast as her outer life. She wrote poetry, read books of all kinds, practiced meditation, prayer, listened to music (nature sounds, new age, etc.), and spent lots of time in her garden with her husband and her cats. She was an avid traveler too. Her worldliness and sense of adventure took her many places, her favorites being England, Mexico and Hawaii, places she revisited many times.
It cannot go without mention that Dawn LOVED animals, especially cats, dolphins and whales. She was a supporter of the SPCA and just recently began fostering animals, including 2 sibling kittens (Mucho and Smudge) whom she ended up adopting.
Dawn was and is many things to many people. She is earthy, spirited, passionate and committed. Loving, gentle, wise and generous. She is funny, silly, quirky and her laugh, positively infectious. She is authentic, beautiful and just. Anyone who has met her, known her, lived with her, loved her, will find it impossible to forget her.
LIVING
To touch the cup with eager lips and taste, not drain it
To woo and tempt and court a bliss-and not attain it
To fondle and caress a joy, yet hold it lightly
Let it become necessity and cling too tightly
To watch the sun set in the west without regretting
To hail its advent in the east-the night forgetting
To another care in happiness and grief in laughter
To hold the present close-not questioning hereafter
To have enough to share –to know the joy of giving
To thrill with all the sweets of life-is living
-Anonymous
Last updated on: 08/20/2011
Comments:
To Dawn's Family: To be blessed with such a beautiful and talented family member must have been pure joy. Her passing is part of this life and the celebration of it is to honor a life well lived. It is painful to let that spirit go so young yet, now she is free to soar in all her perfect magnificence. It sounds as though her life on earth was spent in beauty and perfect balance surrounded by everything she loved. Blessings especially to Bill & Linda, Glenda & Emmet Clausner
Glenda Clausner - 07/30/2011
I must comment on the beautiful words of Glenda Clausner. Thank you so very much for the comfort they have brought.
Linda Muir - 08/03/2011
Linda and Bill - just know that you and your family are in my prayers. God loves you and he is always with you. He will welcome Dawn into his arms with admiration for all that she gave to others while here on earth. Love you.
Pat Gorrow - 08/05/2011
Hello Linda and Bill, Thank you so much for passing along the lovely tribute of your daughter to me. Even though I did not know her and only recently met you, I can sense what a unique family you have and how you inspired her to be her best self. When I lost my daughter , it was impossibly hard, but as you said about Dawn,that devastating event hasn't become the identity for those of us left behind, but instead, her loss became the ongoing inspiration for us to treasure not only her but, all that she stood for , especially and ironically, her love of life. All my sympathy embraces you, Victoria
Victoria Jetton - 08/08/2011
An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Thank you, Linda for sharing your loss with me. You told me that Dawn loved all things Celtic...as I do. May God Bless you and your family and may Dawn live on in the memories of every single person she touched along the way.
Bobbie (from Trienelle)
Bobbie McGowen-Collins - 08/10/2011
I never knew Dawn but I heard her sister Devonne speak of her so often When she spoke of Dawn it was with such enthusuasm and admiration. It always struck me that Dawn seemed so vibrant to Devonne, she did not really see her as sick.I believe this was a woman who loved the world and sought to be the best person she could be at all times. She never became her cancer... it was something she journeyed with and paid attention to as she was living her life. It is so moving to see Devonne be so proud of her sister.Dawn was a positive force in her life and she left behind many warm and beautiful memories for her family to take with them for the rest of their lives. This is truly a gift for others to hold tenderly and treasure.
MaryLou Whalen
MaryLou Whalen - 08/22/2011
I am forever indebted to you for this inofrmaiton.
Viki Viki - 08/23/2011
I want to thank the Sirls for their donation to this fund. They are neighbors and did not know Dawn, and yet the generosity to donate is so appreciated. We are so grateful to you.
Linda and Bill Muir - 09/01/2011
I am her mom, and I will always look to Dawn for her wonderful ways of teaching us how to live a beautiful life. How empty my life seems now without here. It was almost like losing a limb....my heart is broken into many pieces....but slowly I am finding the glue to put it all back together....that glue is found in all the members of our family...Devonne, Dianne,Dee Dee, Doug...my husband Bill. Being surrounded by their support and their love is unquestionably healing. Friends and neighbors, too.....I never realized there was so much love trying to reach out to all of us. Losing Dawn is a huge life changing tragedy....She was so brave, and she was only 53.
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
A day or so after Dawn died, her youngest sister wrote a poem. I think it should be included here:
THE INEXPLICABLE HAPPENED IT SEEMS
The inexplicable happened it seems
Only it wasn't in my dreams
The sorrow weighs down my core
Mires my heart, my mind forlorn
The surge of loss arrives in waves
Of turbulent and tossing seas of grey
The world, it changed today
When your spirit left our midst
Then in a moment
My sorrow slides away
But I race to catch it
Lest I start to feel
Less than
The grief I need to heal
The smallest mundane thing
Makes me cry, but then I see
Your sparkling eyes
Glow of your smile
The music in your voice
Laughter shared freely
I stop and think
Is this how she'd want us to feel?
The love you gave us without condition
Then protected us from all that was unkown
To rise and join a better place
We'll know as paradise
Wrapped in love
I'll forge ahead
Remembering your gifts:
Live life to the fullest limit
Surround yourself in nature's beauty
Wield courage, take life head on
Stop to wonder at the bounty
That is the life we are given
To enjoy each and every moment in
The paradise on earth we can't explain
Dianne Elizabeth Rosemark
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
I am thankful for the lovely memories of my sister, and for her inspiration still working through us. Thanksgiving at her house was just as she would have wished it, with husband Carey, family and friends working together to prepare a meal and a setting that honored her love for such gatherings and the work she put into them. Dawn could not be there this time in person, but we know her spirit and we felt it among us.
Doug Thompson - 11/29/2011
Dawn brought such sunshine to all that knew her and is greatly missed. I am so priveledged to have known and felt the warm glow of her spirit.
Diana Roberts - 01/18/2012
from Dawn's mom, Linda
It has been over 6 months since my daughter Dawn passed away....my heart is so heavy and I cannot think anything will ever be "normal" again. Always, every moment she is on my mind. I still don't know where she is......I didn't know I could cry so many tears.
Thank God for the family I still have and for my husband Bill.
I could not go on if I didn't have them surrounding me with their love. I cherish each of them......
I miss hearing Dawn's voice on the phone.
Linda Muir - 01/23/2012
It's good to get a fresh way of looknig at it.
Philly Philly - 01/24/2012
Dawn Renee Barnhisel died July 17, 2011, at home in Sacramento, Calif. She was 53.
There will be a service at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at St. Francis Chapel at Saint Francis High School.
She was born Sept. 14, 1957, to Linda Muir and Gil Agronis. Her mother later married Jack Ray Barnhisel who adopted Dawn and her brother Doug.
Dawn spent most of her life in Sacramento, growing up in Ranch Cordova and spending a few years in Nevada City.
She graduated Saint Francis High School in Sacramento and then went on to earn her bachelor's from National University.
Dawn married husband Carey Krantz on Aug. 11, 2001. She met Carey while working at Interstate Brands.
Working for the state of California for the past six years, she most recently worked as a program analyst for the DGS Department of Fleet Management.
Dawn loved spending time with her husband and her cats in their garden, swimming and snorkeling in the ocean and traveling the world, her favorite places being England, Mexico and Hawaii.
Endowed with many talents, she loved weaving, cooking, and hiking and had a deep admiration and respect for animals, especially cats, whales and dolphins.
Dawn is survived by husband, Carey; parents, Linda Muir and Gil Agronis; stepfather, Bill Muir; brother, Doug; and sisters, Dee Dee, Devie, and Diane.
Memorial contributions can be made to Ovarian Cancer Research and SSPCA.
Additional from OCRF Wall of Hope --
Dawn Barnisel
Dedication:
This is dedicated to Dawn Renee, our beloved sister, daughter, wife and friend. For the past 10 years, Dawn fought ovarian cancer with incredible courage, grace and often, humor. So strong was her love for us that she tried hard as she could for as long as she could to protect us from the pain she endured and the loss and deep sorrow we are now left with. She passed away in her sleep on Sunday morning, July 17th 2011 with her husband Carey and brother Doug by her side. She is survived by them, her parents, sisters, family and many friends, all of whom will be forever touched by knowing her.
Some might be inclined to say that she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 53 but that would be missing the point of her life. The reality is that she was the winner because her greatest gift to us was to show us all how to live and become the victor over adversity. She never allowed the cancer to steal her identity and in that way she will always be Dawn Renee, the Victorious.
Personal Description:
Dawn was born in Waco, Texas on September 14th , 1957. She grew up in Rancho Cordova, California where she attended St. John Vianney for 8 years, then attended and graduated from St. Francis High School in Sacramento and National University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts.
From 1984 through 2000, she held various positions at The San Francisco French Bread Company (where she ultimately met her husband Carey) and went on to open up her own truffle business, "Sweet Somethings". Once married, she began teaching theology classes at St Francis High School. For the last six years she's been working for the State of California, most recently at DGS Office of Fleet Management.
Dawn had many passions and was blessed with enviable creative talents. A very visual person, she had a keen eye for color, design and the aesthetic and was drawn to all things beautiful and natural. She could weave cloth on her loom, knit a plush scarf, or design and tender a lush and plentiful garden. Her favorite color was green...
A "foodie" to the core, Dawn loved cooking for friends and family and was always especially health conscious and disciplined, understanding the many benefits that a Vegan diet, and nutrition had on her body, her overall health and well being. She once said that by being a Vegan she "just felt right, felt fully committed on every level".
Dawn's inner life was just as rich and vast as her outer life. She wrote poetry, read books of all kinds, practiced meditation, prayer, listened to music (nature sounds, new age, etc.), and spent lots of time in her garden with her husband and her cats. She was an avid traveler too. Her worldliness and sense of adventure took her many places, her favorites being England, Mexico and Hawaii, places she revisited many times.
It cannot go without mention that Dawn LOVED animals, especially cats, dolphins and whales. She was a supporter of the SPCA and just recently began fostering animals, including 2 sibling kittens (Mucho and Smudge) whom she ended up adopting.
Dawn was and is many things to many people. She is earthy, spirited, passionate and committed. Loving, gentle, wise and generous. She is funny, silly, quirky and her laugh, positively infectious. She is authentic, beautiful and just. Anyone who has met her, known her, lived with her, loved her, will find it impossible to forget her.
LIVING
To touch the cup with eager lips and taste, not drain it
To woo and tempt and court a bliss-and not attain it
To fondle and caress a joy, yet hold it lightly
Let it become necessity and cling too tightly
To watch the sun set in the west without regretting
To hail its advent in the east-the night forgetting
To another care in happiness and grief in laughter
To hold the present close-not questioning hereafter
To have enough to share –to know the joy of giving
To thrill with all the sweets of life-is living
-Anonymous
Last updated on: 08/20/2011
Comments:
To Dawn's Family: To be blessed with such a beautiful and talented family member must have been pure joy. Her passing is part of this life and the celebration of it is to honor a life well lived. It is painful to let that spirit go so young yet, now she is free to soar in all her perfect magnificence. It sounds as though her life on earth was spent in beauty and perfect balance surrounded by everything she loved. Blessings especially to Bill & Linda, Glenda & Emmet Clausner
Glenda Clausner - 07/30/2011
I must comment on the beautiful words of Glenda Clausner. Thank you so very much for the comfort they have brought.
Linda Muir - 08/03/2011
Linda and Bill - just know that you and your family are in my prayers. God loves you and he is always with you. He will welcome Dawn into his arms with admiration for all that she gave to others while here on earth. Love you.
Pat Gorrow - 08/05/2011
Hello Linda and Bill, Thank you so much for passing along the lovely tribute of your daughter to me. Even though I did not know her and only recently met you, I can sense what a unique family you have and how you inspired her to be her best self. When I lost my daughter , it was impossibly hard, but as you said about Dawn,that devastating event hasn't become the identity for those of us left behind, but instead, her loss became the ongoing inspiration for us to treasure not only her but, all that she stood for , especially and ironically, her love of life. All my sympathy embraces you, Victoria
Victoria Jetton - 08/08/2011
An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Thank you, Linda for sharing your loss with me. You told me that Dawn loved all things Celtic...as I do. May God Bless you and your family and may Dawn live on in the memories of every single person she touched along the way.
Bobbie (from Trienelle)
Bobbie McGowen-Collins - 08/10/2011
I never knew Dawn but I heard her sister Devonne speak of her so often When she spoke of Dawn it was with such enthusuasm and admiration. It always struck me that Dawn seemed so vibrant to Devonne, she did not really see her as sick.I believe this was a woman who loved the world and sought to be the best person she could be at all times. She never became her cancer... it was something she journeyed with and paid attention to as she was living her life. It is so moving to see Devonne be so proud of her sister.Dawn was a positive force in her life and she left behind many warm and beautiful memories for her family to take with them for the rest of their lives. This is truly a gift for others to hold tenderly and treasure.
MaryLou Whalen
MaryLou Whalen - 08/22/2011
I am forever indebted to you for this inofrmaiton.
Viki Viki - 08/23/2011
I want to thank the Sirls for their donation to this fund. They are neighbors and did not know Dawn, and yet the generosity to donate is so appreciated. We are so grateful to you.
Linda and Bill Muir - 09/01/2011
I am her mom, and I will always look to Dawn for her wonderful ways of teaching us how to live a beautiful life. How empty my life seems now without here. It was almost like losing a limb....my heart is broken into many pieces....but slowly I am finding the glue to put it all back together....that glue is found in all the members of our family...Devonne, Dianne,Dee Dee, Doug...my husband Bill. Being surrounded by their support and their love is unquestionably healing. Friends and neighbors, too.....I never realized there was so much love trying to reach out to all of us. Losing Dawn is a huge life changing tragedy....She was so brave, and she was only 53.
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
A day or so after Dawn died, her youngest sister wrote a poem. I think it should be included here:
THE INEXPLICABLE HAPPENED IT SEEMS
The inexplicable happened it seems
Only it wasn't in my dreams
The sorrow weighs down my core
Mires my heart, my mind forlorn
The surge of loss arrives in waves
Of turbulent and tossing seas of grey
The world, it changed today
When your spirit left our midst
Then in a moment
My sorrow slides away
But I race to catch it
Lest I start to feel
Less than
The grief I need to heal
The smallest mundane thing
Makes me cry, but then I see
Your sparkling eyes
Glow of your smile
The music in your voice
Laughter shared freely
I stop and think
Is this how she'd want us to feel?
The love you gave us without condition
Then protected us from all that was unkown
To rise and join a better place
We'll know as paradise
Wrapped in love
I'll forge ahead
Remembering your gifts:
Live life to the fullest limit
Surround yourself in nature's beauty
Wield courage, take life head on
Stop to wonder at the bounty
That is the life we are given
To enjoy each and every moment in
The paradise on earth we can't explain
Dianne Elizabeth Rosemark
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
I am thankful for the lovely memories of my sister, and for her inspiration still working through us. Thanksgiving at her house was just as she would have wished it, with husband Carey, family and friends working together to prepare a meal and a setting that honored her love for such gatherings and the work she put into them. Dawn could not be there this time in person, but we know her spirit and we felt it among us.
Doug Thompson - 11/29/2011
Dawn brought such sunshine to all that knew her and is greatly missed. I am so priveledged to have known and felt the warm glow of her spirit.
Diana Roberts - 01/18/2012
from Dawn's mom, Linda
It has been over 6 months since my daughter Dawn passed away....my heart is so heavy and I cannot think anything will ever be "normal" again. Always, every moment she is on my mind. I still don't know where she is......I didn't know I could cry so many tears.
Thank God for the family I still have and for my husband Bill.
I could not go on if I didn't have them surrounding me with their love. I cherish each of them......
I miss hearing Dawn's voice on the phone.
Linda Muir - 01/23/2012
It's good to get a fresh way of looknig at it.
Philly Philly - 01/24/2012
Obituary --
Dawn Renee Barnhisel died July 17, 2011, at home in Sacramento, Calif. She was 53.
There will be a service at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at St. Francis Chapel at Saint Francis High School.
She was born Sept. 14, 1957, to Linda Muir and Gil Agronis. Her mother later married Jack Ray Barnhisel who adopted Dawn and her brother Doug.
Dawn spent most of her life in Sacramento, growing up in Ranch Cordova and spending a few years in Nevada City.
She graduated Saint Francis High School in Sacramento and then went on to earn her bachelor's from National University.
Dawn married husband Carey Krantz on Aug. 11, 2001. She met Carey while working at Interstate Brands.
Working for the state of California for the past six years, she most recently worked as a program analyst for the DGS Department of Fleet Management.
Dawn loved spending time with her husband and her cats in their garden, swimming and snorkeling in the ocean and traveling the world, her favorite places being England, Mexico and Hawaii.
Endowed with many talents, she loved weaving, cooking, and hiking and had a deep admiration and respect for animals, especially cats, whales and dolphins.
Dawn is survived by husband, Carey; parents, Linda Muir and Gil Agronis; stepfather, Bill Muir; brother, Doug; and sisters, Dee Dee, Devie, and Diane.
Memorial contributions can be made to Ovarian Cancer Research and SSPCA.
Additional from OCRF Wall of Hope --
Dawn Barnisel
Dedication:
This is dedicated to Dawn Renee, our beloved sister, daughter, wife and friend. For the past 10 years, Dawn fought ovarian cancer with incredible courage, grace and often, humor. So strong was her love for us that she tried hard as she could for as long as she could to protect us from the pain she endured and the loss and deep sorrow we are now left with. She passed away in her sleep on Sunday morning, July 17th 2011 with her husband Carey and brother Doug by her side. She is survived by them, her parents, sisters, family and many friends, all of whom will be forever touched by knowing her.
Some might be inclined to say that she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 53 but that would be missing the point of her life. The reality is that she was the winner because her greatest gift to us was to show us all how to live and become the victor over adversity. She never allowed the cancer to steal her identity and in that way she will always be Dawn Renee, the Victorious.
Personal Description:
Dawn was born in Waco, Texas on September 14th , 1957. She grew up in Rancho Cordova, California where she attended St. John Vianney for 8 years, then attended and graduated from St. Francis High School in Sacramento and National University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts.
From 1984 through 2000, she held various positions at The San Francisco French Bread Company (where she ultimately met her husband Carey) and went on to open up her own truffle business, "Sweet Somethings". Once married, she began teaching theology classes at St Francis High School. For the last six years she's been working for the State of California, most recently at DGS Office of Fleet Management.
Dawn had many passions and was blessed with enviable creative talents. A very visual person, she had a keen eye for color, design and the aesthetic and was drawn to all things beautiful and natural. She could weave cloth on her loom, knit a plush scarf, or design and tender a lush and plentiful garden. Her favorite color was green...
A "foodie" to the core, Dawn loved cooking for friends and family and was always especially health conscious and disciplined, understanding the many benefits that a Vegan diet, and nutrition had on her body, her overall health and well being. She once said that by being a Vegan she "just felt right, felt fully committed on every level".
Dawn's inner life was just as rich and vast as her outer life. She wrote poetry, read books of all kinds, practiced meditation, prayer, listened to music (nature sounds, new age, etc.), and spent lots of time in her garden with her husband and her cats. She was an avid traveler too. Her worldliness and sense of adventure took her many places, her favorites being England, Mexico and Hawaii, places she revisited many times.
It cannot go without mention that Dawn LOVED animals, especially cats, dolphins and whales. She was a supporter of the SPCA and just recently began fostering animals, including 2 sibling kittens (Mucho and Smudge) whom she ended up adopting.
Dawn was and is many things to many people. She is earthy, spirited, passionate and committed. Loving, gentle, wise and generous. She is funny, silly, quirky and her laugh, positively infectious. She is authentic, beautiful and just. Anyone who has met her, known her, lived with her, loved her, will find it impossible to forget her.
LIVING
To touch the cup with eager lips and taste, not drain it
To woo and tempt and court a bliss-and not attain it
To fondle and caress a joy, yet hold it lightly
Let it become necessity and cling too tightly
To watch the sun set in the west without regretting
To hail its advent in the east-the night forgetting
To another care in happiness and grief in laughter
To hold the present close-not questioning hereafter
To have enough to share –to know the joy of giving
To thrill with all the sweets of life-is living
-Anonymous
Last updated on: 08/20/2011
Comments:
To Dawn's Family: To be blessed with such a beautiful and talented family member must have been pure joy. Her passing is part of this life and the celebration of it is to honor a life well lived. It is painful to let that spirit go so young yet, now she is free to soar in all her perfect magnificence. It sounds as though her life on earth was spent in beauty and perfect balance surrounded by everything she loved. Blessings especially to Bill & Linda, Glenda & Emmet Clausner
Glenda Clausner - 07/30/2011
I must comment on the beautiful words of Glenda Clausner. Thank you so very much for the comfort they have brought.
Linda Muir - 08/03/2011
Linda and Bill - just know that you and your family are in my prayers. God loves you and he is always with you. He will welcome Dawn into his arms with admiration for all that she gave to others while here on earth. Love you.
Pat Gorrow - 08/05/2011
Hello Linda and Bill, Thank you so much for passing along the lovely tribute of your daughter to me. Even though I did not know her and only recently met you, I can sense what a unique family you have and how you inspired her to be her best self. When I lost my daughter , it was impossibly hard, but as you said about Dawn,that devastating event hasn't become the identity for those of us left behind, but instead, her loss became the ongoing inspiration for us to treasure not only her but, all that she stood for , especially and ironically, her love of life. All my sympathy embraces you, Victoria
Victoria Jetton - 08/08/2011
An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Thank you, Linda for sharing your loss with me. You told me that Dawn loved all things Celtic...as I do. May God Bless you and your family and may Dawn live on in the memories of every single person she touched along the way.
Bobbie (from Trienelle)
Bobbie McGowen-Collins - 08/10/2011
I never knew Dawn but I heard her sister Devonne speak of her so often When she spoke of Dawn it was with such enthusuasm and admiration. It always struck me that Dawn seemed so vibrant to Devonne, she did not really see her as sick.I believe this was a woman who loved the world and sought to be the best person she could be at all times. She never became her cancer... it was something she journeyed with and paid attention to as she was living her life. It is so moving to see Devonne be so proud of her sister.Dawn was a positive force in her life and she left behind many warm and beautiful memories for her family to take with them for the rest of their lives. This is truly a gift for others to hold tenderly and treasure.
MaryLou Whalen
MaryLou Whalen - 08/22/2011
I am forever indebted to you for this inofrmaiton.
Viki Viki - 08/23/2011
I want to thank the Sirls for their donation to this fund. They are neighbors and did not know Dawn, and yet the generosity to donate is so appreciated. We are so grateful to you.
Linda and Bill Muir - 09/01/2011
I am her mom, and I will always look to Dawn for her wonderful ways of teaching us how to live a beautiful life. How empty my life seems now without here. It was almost like losing a limb....my heart is broken into many pieces....but slowly I am finding the glue to put it all back together....that glue is found in all the members of our family...Devonne, Dianne,Dee Dee, Doug...my husband Bill. Being surrounded by their support and their love is unquestionably healing. Friends and neighbors, too.....I never realized there was so much love trying to reach out to all of us. Losing Dawn is a huge life changing tragedy....She was so brave, and she was only 53.
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
A day or so after Dawn died, her youngest sister wrote a poem. I think it should be included here:
THE INEXPLICABLE HAPPENED IT SEEMS
The inexplicable happened it seems
Only it wasn't in my dreams
The sorrow weighs down my core
Mires my heart, my mind forlorn
The surge of loss arrives in waves
Of turbulent and tossing seas of grey
The world, it changed today
When your spirit left our midst
Then in a moment
My sorrow slides away
But I race to catch it
Lest I start to feel
Less than
The grief I need to heal
The smallest mundane thing
Makes me cry, but then I see
Your sparkling eyes
Glow of your smile
The music in your voice
Laughter shared freely
I stop and think
Is this how she'd want us to feel?
The love you gave us without condition
Then protected us from all that was unkown
To rise and join a better place
We'll know as paradise
Wrapped in love
I'll forge ahead
Remembering your gifts:
Live life to the fullest limit
Surround yourself in nature's beauty
Wield courage, take life head on
Stop to wonder at the bounty
That is the life we are given
To enjoy each and every moment in
The paradise on earth we can't explain
Dianne Elizabeth Rosemark
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
I am thankful for the lovely memories of my sister, and for her inspiration still working through us. Thanksgiving at her house was just as she would have wished it, with husband Carey, family and friends working together to prepare a meal and a setting that honored her love for such gatherings and the work she put into them. Dawn could not be there this time in person, but we know her spirit and we felt it among us.
Doug Thompson - 11/29/2011
Dawn brought such sunshine to all that knew her and is greatly missed. I am so priveledged to have known and felt the warm glow of her spirit.
Diana Roberts - 01/18/2012
from Dawn's mom, Linda
It has been over 6 months since my daughter Dawn passed away....my heart is so heavy and I cannot think anything will ever be "normal" again. Always, every moment she is on my mind. I still don't know where she is......I didn't know I could cry so many tears.
Thank God for the family I still have and for my husband Bill.
I could not go on if I didn't have them surrounding me with their love. I cherish each of them......
I miss hearing Dawn's voice on the phone.
Linda Muir - 01/23/2012
It's good to get a fresh way of looknig at it.
Philly Philly - 01/24/2012
Dawn Renee Barnhisel died July 17, 2011, at home in Sacramento, Calif. She was 53.
There will be a service at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at St. Francis Chapel at Saint Francis High School.
She was born Sept. 14, 1957, to Linda Muir and Gil Agronis. Her mother later married Jack Ray Barnhisel who adopted Dawn and her brother Doug.
Dawn spent most of her life in Sacramento, growing up in Ranch Cordova and spending a few years in Nevada City.
She graduated Saint Francis High School in Sacramento and then went on to earn her bachelor's from National University.
Dawn married husband Carey Krantz on Aug. 11, 2001. She met Carey while working at Interstate Brands.
Working for the state of California for the past six years, she most recently worked as a program analyst for the DGS Department of Fleet Management.
Dawn loved spending time with her husband and her cats in their garden, swimming and snorkeling in the ocean and traveling the world, her favorite places being England, Mexico and Hawaii.
Endowed with many talents, she loved weaving, cooking, and hiking and had a deep admiration and respect for animals, especially cats, whales and dolphins.
Dawn is survived by husband, Carey; parents, Linda Muir and Gil Agronis; stepfather, Bill Muir; brother, Doug; and sisters, Dee Dee, Devie, and Diane.
Memorial contributions can be made to Ovarian Cancer Research and SSPCA.
Additional from OCRF Wall of Hope --
Dawn Barnisel
Dedication:
This is dedicated to Dawn Renee, our beloved sister, daughter, wife and friend. For the past 10 years, Dawn fought ovarian cancer with incredible courage, grace and often, humor. So strong was her love for us that she tried hard as she could for as long as she could to protect us from the pain she endured and the loss and deep sorrow we are now left with. She passed away in her sleep on Sunday morning, July 17th 2011 with her husband Carey and brother Doug by her side. She is survived by them, her parents, sisters, family and many friends, all of whom will be forever touched by knowing her.
Some might be inclined to say that she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 53 but that would be missing the point of her life. The reality is that she was the winner because her greatest gift to us was to show us all how to live and become the victor over adversity. She never allowed the cancer to steal her identity and in that way she will always be Dawn Renee, the Victorious.
Personal Description:
Dawn was born in Waco, Texas on September 14th , 1957. She grew up in Rancho Cordova, California where she attended St. John Vianney for 8 years, then attended and graduated from St. Francis High School in Sacramento and National University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts.
From 1984 through 2000, she held various positions at The San Francisco French Bread Company (where she ultimately met her husband Carey) and went on to open up her own truffle business, "Sweet Somethings". Once married, she began teaching theology classes at St Francis High School. For the last six years she's been working for the State of California, most recently at DGS Office of Fleet Management.
Dawn had many passions and was blessed with enviable creative talents. A very visual person, she had a keen eye for color, design and the aesthetic and was drawn to all things beautiful and natural. She could weave cloth on her loom, knit a plush scarf, or design and tender a lush and plentiful garden. Her favorite color was green...
A "foodie" to the core, Dawn loved cooking for friends and family and was always especially health conscious and disciplined, understanding the many benefits that a Vegan diet, and nutrition had on her body, her overall health and well being. She once said that by being a Vegan she "just felt right, felt fully committed on every level".
Dawn's inner life was just as rich and vast as her outer life. She wrote poetry, read books of all kinds, practiced meditation, prayer, listened to music (nature sounds, new age, etc.), and spent lots of time in her garden with her husband and her cats. She was an avid traveler too. Her worldliness and sense of adventure took her many places, her favorites being England, Mexico and Hawaii, places she revisited many times.
It cannot go without mention that Dawn LOVED animals, especially cats, dolphins and whales. She was a supporter of the SPCA and just recently began fostering animals, including 2 sibling kittens (Mucho and Smudge) whom she ended up adopting.
Dawn was and is many things to many people. She is earthy, spirited, passionate and committed. Loving, gentle, wise and generous. She is funny, silly, quirky and her laugh, positively infectious. She is authentic, beautiful and just. Anyone who has met her, known her, lived with her, loved her, will find it impossible to forget her.
LIVING
To touch the cup with eager lips and taste, not drain it
To woo and tempt and court a bliss-and not attain it
To fondle and caress a joy, yet hold it lightly
Let it become necessity and cling too tightly
To watch the sun set in the west without regretting
To hail its advent in the east-the night forgetting
To another care in happiness and grief in laughter
To hold the present close-not questioning hereafter
To have enough to share –to know the joy of giving
To thrill with all the sweets of life-is living
-Anonymous
Last updated on: 08/20/2011
Comments:
To Dawn's Family: To be blessed with such a beautiful and talented family member must have been pure joy. Her passing is part of this life and the celebration of it is to honor a life well lived. It is painful to let that spirit go so young yet, now she is free to soar in all her perfect magnificence. It sounds as though her life on earth was spent in beauty and perfect balance surrounded by everything she loved. Blessings especially to Bill & Linda, Glenda & Emmet Clausner
Glenda Clausner - 07/30/2011
I must comment on the beautiful words of Glenda Clausner. Thank you so very much for the comfort they have brought.
Linda Muir - 08/03/2011
Linda and Bill - just know that you and your family are in my prayers. God loves you and he is always with you. He will welcome Dawn into his arms with admiration for all that she gave to others while here on earth. Love you.
Pat Gorrow - 08/05/2011
Hello Linda and Bill, Thank you so much for passing along the lovely tribute of your daughter to me. Even though I did not know her and only recently met you, I can sense what a unique family you have and how you inspired her to be her best self. When I lost my daughter , it was impossibly hard, but as you said about Dawn,that devastating event hasn't become the identity for those of us left behind, but instead, her loss became the ongoing inspiration for us to treasure not only her but, all that she stood for , especially and ironically, her love of life. All my sympathy embraces you, Victoria
Victoria Jetton - 08/08/2011
An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Thank you, Linda for sharing your loss with me. You told me that Dawn loved all things Celtic...as I do. May God Bless you and your family and may Dawn live on in the memories of every single person she touched along the way.
Bobbie (from Trienelle)
Bobbie McGowen-Collins - 08/10/2011
I never knew Dawn but I heard her sister Devonne speak of her so often When she spoke of Dawn it was with such enthusuasm and admiration. It always struck me that Dawn seemed so vibrant to Devonne, she did not really see her as sick.I believe this was a woman who loved the world and sought to be the best person she could be at all times. She never became her cancer... it was something she journeyed with and paid attention to as she was living her life. It is so moving to see Devonne be so proud of her sister.Dawn was a positive force in her life and she left behind many warm and beautiful memories for her family to take with them for the rest of their lives. This is truly a gift for others to hold tenderly and treasure.
MaryLou Whalen
MaryLou Whalen - 08/22/2011
I am forever indebted to you for this inofrmaiton.
Viki Viki - 08/23/2011
I want to thank the Sirls for their donation to this fund. They are neighbors and did not know Dawn, and yet the generosity to donate is so appreciated. We are so grateful to you.
Linda and Bill Muir - 09/01/2011
I am her mom, and I will always look to Dawn for her wonderful ways of teaching us how to live a beautiful life. How empty my life seems now without here. It was almost like losing a limb....my heart is broken into many pieces....but slowly I am finding the glue to put it all back together....that glue is found in all the members of our family...Devonne, Dianne,Dee Dee, Doug...my husband Bill. Being surrounded by their support and their love is unquestionably healing. Friends and neighbors, too.....I never realized there was so much love trying to reach out to all of us. Losing Dawn is a huge life changing tragedy....She was so brave, and she was only 53.
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
A day or so after Dawn died, her youngest sister wrote a poem. I think it should be included here:
THE INEXPLICABLE HAPPENED IT SEEMS
The inexplicable happened it seems
Only it wasn't in my dreams
The sorrow weighs down my core
Mires my heart, my mind forlorn
The surge of loss arrives in waves
Of turbulent and tossing seas of grey
The world, it changed today
When your spirit left our midst
Then in a moment
My sorrow slides away
But I race to catch it
Lest I start to feel
Less than
The grief I need to heal
The smallest mundane thing
Makes me cry, but then I see
Your sparkling eyes
Glow of your smile
The music in your voice
Laughter shared freely
I stop and think
Is this how she'd want us to feel?
The love you gave us without condition
Then protected us from all that was unkown
To rise and join a better place
We'll know as paradise
Wrapped in love
I'll forge ahead
Remembering your gifts:
Live life to the fullest limit
Surround yourself in nature's beauty
Wield courage, take life head on
Stop to wonder at the bounty
That is the life we are given
To enjoy each and every moment in
The paradise on earth we can't explain
Dianne Elizabeth Rosemark
Linda Muir - 11/02/2011
I am thankful for the lovely memories of my sister, and for her inspiration still working through us. Thanksgiving at her house was just as she would have wished it, with husband Carey, family and friends working together to prepare a meal and a setting that honored her love for such gatherings and the work she put into them. Dawn could not be there this time in person, but we know her spirit and we felt it among us.
Doug Thompson - 11/29/2011
Dawn brought such sunshine to all that knew her and is greatly missed. I am so priveledged to have known and felt the warm glow of her spirit.
Diana Roberts - 01/18/2012
from Dawn's mom, Linda
It has been over 6 months since my daughter Dawn passed away....my heart is so heavy and I cannot think anything will ever be "normal" again. Always, every moment she is on my mind. I still don't know where she is......I didn't know I could cry so many tears.
Thank God for the family I still have and for my husband Bill.
I could not go on if I didn't have them surrounding me with their love. I cherish each of them......
I miss hearing Dawn's voice on the phone.
Linda Muir - 01/23/2012
It's good to get a fresh way of looknig at it.
Philly Philly - 01/24/2012
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