Daniel Moos, 1947–2019

Patricia Peacock, 1952–2014

Daniel Moos first laid eyes on saltwater, Puget Sound, and the innumerable islands of the Salish Sea as a young man newly enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and a fresh arrival from New Mexico. A lifelong love for this area was cemented. While on a trip to Chicago, Dan met his soon-to-be wife, Pat Peacock, and together they travelled back to Seattle.

Dan and Pat first lived in Seattle, then Snohomish, and finally in the foothills of the Cascades outside of Mount Vernon, where they built their craftsman-style dream home. During their lifetime together in the Pacific Northwest, they lived a life close to the land, endeavoring to leave a small footprint on the place they loved. In the years since his Coast Guard days, Dan loved to tell dramatic stories of being a buoy tender on a Coast Guard vessel during winter storms. His affinity for Puget Sound never subsided.

Together, Dan and Pat discovered a deep love of kayaking. They spent many years traveling and camping by kayak in and around the San Juan Islands, British Columbia, Alaska, and the coasts of both Washington and Vancouver Island. They were generous with their time in mentoring newer kayakers and introducing them to the waters of the San Juan Islands. After Pat passed away in 2014, Dan built his final home on Orcas Island to be closer to the sea so he could continue to explore the natural world via kayak.

Dan shared with us why he chose to leave a legacy with the Preservation Trust. He wrote: “Preserving our natural environment is of utmost importance.”

Submitted by Wendolyn Michnay and Shawna Franklin