Gayle Loreen Skoff

A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and cousin, she was born Gayle Lorene Jacobsen on September 5, 1938 in San Francisco, California. At the age of 9, an only child, her parents the late Theodore (Leif Tolleif) and Ethel M. Jacobsen moved into a house on Roblar Rd. built by Gayle’s uncle and aunt the late Albert & Bernadette Johnston. Gayle went to elementary school at Dunham School (known as the hall), and was the 2nd of 3 generations, member of Roblar 4-H, “The oldest 4-H club in Sonoma County”. She was a member of the Petaluma Senior Riding Club and the Redwood Rambler Sports Car Club. As a graduate of Petaluma High School in 1956 she went to work for Bank of America (the current Seed Bank building) as a teller and later at the Coast Guard Training Center at Two Rock when it was known as Two Rock Ranch Station.

She got her drivers license behind the wheel of a Studebaker pickup. Through hard work she purchased a 1953 Corvette convertible from the Heinz Ketchup princess hence the beginning of her love of Corvettes. She Married her sweetheart from high school the late Gerald Joseph Skoff in 1962. They had 3 children, Wendy L. Skoff-Gamsby (Jeffrey), Martin T. Skoff and Daniel G. Skoff. As her children married she was blessed with, step-granddaughter Rebecca M. Mauvais, and grand children, Amanda N., and Matthew T. Mauvais, Julia N., Anna M., and Martin J. (MJ) Skoff. Later in life she enjoyed watching the family grow again, with the arrival of step-great grandchildren Christian M., and Joslynn A., Georganas, twins Leena H., and Kylie A. Magnelli and great grandchildren Xander N. B., and Lillian (Little Lulu) D. L. Schreiner.

She kept her kids active with 4-H, Little League, fairs and horse shows when they were young. To support all the kids hobbies she opened and ran “Gayle’s Hay Barn” a small feed supply store in the chicken barns on Roblar Rd. that Jerry remodeled. As her kids hobbies changed She attended Marty’s Street Stock races at the Petaluma Speedway with anxiety at every turn like all the other moms who supported their children. Through the 4-H and showing horses she discovered Pygmy Goats and for the next 30-35 years after 4-H, she and daughter Wendy raised and showed the champion winning goats with buyers nationally and internationally. Wendy & Gayle met friend Carol and traveled the county and neighboring counties to certify pygmy goats so a standard of perfection and herd book could be established with the American Goat Society (AGS). This was a time consuming labor of love. Hand written spreadsheets and black and white instant photos were all they had in those days to document the hundreds of goats they located. Because of those efforts the National Pygmy Goat Assoc (NPGA) was established and acquired the herd book and a new breed standard was written. She also was one of the early judges licensed with AGS and NPGA. As a duel certified judge, she traveled all over the United States with her husband by motor home visiting friends and fun unique places before or after her judging contracts.

Between Goat shows, and judging jobs, she took son Danny on summer fishing trips and learned to fly fish. Sierra City became the #1 place to go with all the Great Lakes Basin to choose from to hike, camp, fish and swim especially Sand Pond at the base of The Sierra Buttes of which she has hiked several times to its very top elevation 8594 ft.

After Jerry passed, she purchased a home in Sierra City. She loved it there and spent half or more of her time there. Sierra City was perfect location for her to access the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). She would backpack every summer with family, friends, and Danny and Albert always accompanied her for 10-15 days at a time. Over time she needed to seek out a better way to backpack it was getting hard physically for her. Through her many connections with goats of all breeds she found and purchased 1, then 1 more, then she found a trained team of 4 dairy goats who were trained to pack like a pack mule. They had little handmade sawbucks and panniers just like a mule. This was the answer for her to continue backpacking. After the goats retired she found another option, Ultra light backpacking and this gave her more options to backpack. A few years ago she had to plan shorter trips and last summer took her great grandson Xander on his first backpacking trip. She planned and helped outfit friends in the Sierra City Shoe club. A favorite spot was to Smith lake in Plumas county. She had several short backpacking trips planned for this summer.

She also kept active with the Pacers car club working with several members to plan a reunion and car show at the Elk’s club every year.

Funeral Services will be held Sunday, June 10th, 11:00 a.m. at Parent-Sorensen Mortuary, 850 Keokuk St., Petaluma. If you wish to make a donation in Gayle’s name to the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org/) in addition to your donation they will plant a tree in a national forest in her name.

Parent-Sorensen Mortuary and Crematory