Dana Foster Mcnair

Dana Foster McNair, of Landgrove, VT, passed away in her sleep on Feb. 16th after a years-long battle with cancer. She was born Oct. 16th, 1956 to Jack and Sheila Foster of Manchester, VT, the oldest of five siblings. She attended Burr and Burton, then graduated from Skidmore College in 1978 with her Bachelor of Arts.

Shortly afterwards she met her husband-to-be, Malcolm McNair. They spent summers guiding rafting trips down the Arkansas river in Colorado, and the winters running Viking Nordic Center in Londonderry, VT. They married in 1983 and had two sons, Gordon and Dylan.

Dana filled her life with adventure and kindness. She was a leader and organizer, always ready to take on more to let others do less. She loved to ski, kayak, and binge-watch murder mysteries on TV. She never missed a soccer game, ski race, or track meet. She was always there, cheering from the sidelines and stubbornly refusing to be cool for her hormonal teenage boys. She started every day with a cup of TyPhoo tea, a little milk and a lot of sugar, and ended every evening in bed with a book, historical drama most often. She was always looking for a new creative outlet and filled her home studio with beads, silver wire, sea glass, and markers.

Though art was her passion, she found her purpose working as a literacy and math specialist for Flood Brook Union School, teaching a love of reading and numbers to generations of students. Dana retired from Flood Brook in 2024, and Viking shortly afterwards. She spent her last years doing arts and crafts with her granddaughters.

She is survived by her husband, Malcolm; sons, Gordon and Dylan; granddaughters Victoria and Isabella; and countless friends, family, and beloved students.

A celebration of her life will take place when the snow melts.