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Remembering Dorothy Gibson
Dorothy Gibson passed away on January 18, 2019, at the age of 95. Best known in recent years as the leader of walks exploring Sausalito and the author of books about our history and landscape, Dorothy was also active for many years in local organizations and City government.
Dorothy moved to Sausalito in 1954. Her professional career as a social worker included operating her own practice in San Francisco and teaching social services classes at area universities. After she retired, Dorothy traveled the world, visiting more than 50 countries and, from 1989 to 1999, reporting back to Sausalito with her "Travels with Dorothy" letters to the Marin Scope.
A longtime champion of the health benefits of walking, Dorothy published the first edition of her book Exploring Sausalito's Paths and Walkways in 2001. Soon after, she began leading Saturday morning walking tours to teach people about Sausalito's history and neighborhoods through our paths and steps. The tours were open to anyone hearty enough to keep up with her. Dorothy also published Marin Headlands (Images of America) in 2009 and Sausalito's Parks, Plazas, Playgrounds and Benches in 2017.
Dorothy's civic involvement in Sausalito included serving on the Planning Commission in the 1970s and the Design Review Board in the 1980s. In 1976, she narrowly missed being elected to the City Council. As a volunteer, she was active with the Sausalito Historical Society, the Volunteers In Public Safety (VIPS), and Sausalito Village. Her service to the City was honored in 2013 when she was named grand marshal of the City's annual Fourth of July parade.
Dorothy is survived by nieces and nephews Donald Adams of Arizona, Judith Everett of Tennessee, David Kenyon of Illinois, Prudence Kenyon of Norway, and James Kenyon of Rhode Island.