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Mourning the passing of Dana McNair, February 16, 2025: A Viking Nordic Center institution
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share that Dana McNair, long-time manager of Viking Nordic Center, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer on Sunday, February 16, 2025. Dana’s caring ways, sense of humor, and enjoyment of life will be greatly missed by our entire community. Dana worked at Viking for 44 years before retiring at the end of last season. At Viking she took care of everyone, she was always on a mission to make sure folks had fun. She would work relentlessly to get them just the right boot fit in rentals, the perfect hat, glove, or sock from the shop, or their favorite grilled cheese and soup from the cafe, usually delivered with a great story. As the host of Viking’s rental house and apartment, she made guests feel like they were her lifelong friends. Indeed, many came back year after year and became true friends. Dana would go the extra mile to help guests enjoy their stay, whether it was recommending a local restaurant, shop, or event, or making sure guests had everything they needed, always with the warm and personal touch of a caring friend. She loved getting to know and catching up with skiers who returned year after year. She also loved welcoming first-time visitors, earning their vow to return and growing her group of ‘Viking friends’. She was deeply immersed in Viking all year round, took great pride in building its history, and always took personal responsibility for what needed to be done. Dana brought her creativity and imagination to all she did at Viking, such as bringing Viking’s beloved cookie reward game to life or, when a heavy snow hit one late October, rounding up costumed friends and family to create some classic Halloween ski pictures. She was always looking for humor and joy in the current situation. She possessed a vast range of knowledge and interests, plus an amazing memory. Dana could tell you where to get the best mac and cheese, chocolate candy, or creemee in Vermont with detailed justifications. A conversation during a lull in the cafe might include recollections from a summer trip where she reenacted a female-led historic cross country drive from the early 1900’s, or hilarious retelling of stories from Viking’s early days, or what it was like to grow up with goats in her childhood house. She used her super powers to engage with people, make them smile, and make a connection, no matter who they were These are just a few remembrances of Dana. Her family, friends, and those who worked beside her daily will no doubt have much more to share about her wonderful life. We will share information about Viking’s plans to honor Dana at a later date. For now, we ask you all to keep Dana, her husband Malcolm, and her family & friends in your thoughts, and honor her great spirit. |