Loraine Ann Dair

September 2, 1956 - June 25, 2022

Loraine (Lori) Ann Dair was born on September 2, 1956 in San Pedro CA; she died June 25, 2022 in El Cerrito CA of ALS. Lori grew up in San Pedro, where her parents Frank and Ruth Dair raised 7 children, including David, Kathy, Lori, Steve, Linda, Bryan, and Kenny Dair. They spent much of their childhood on boats, and three generations of Dairs have dominated sailboat racing in Southern California.

Lori received her BA in English from Sonoma State University. In her early 20s, Lori had wanderlust, living in Santa Barbara, Sonoma County, Boston, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Topanga Canyon, holding a variety of jobs – operating a food truck, working for a traveling carnival, and running her own typing and editing business. In the mid-1980s, she was hired as a secretary at the RAND Corporation; she soon became a field researcher in their survey research unit, then a research administrator, and ended as executive assistant to Vice President Michael Rich. In 1994, Lori was hired as the executive assistant (and first employee) of the new non-profit Public Policy Institute of California.

At RAND, Lori met Rob MacCoun; they got married in Culver City, CA on January 31, 1992, the fifth anniversary of their first date. They moved to El Cerrito in 1993. In 1998 and 2002, Lori and Rob had the great joy of adopting their daughters Madeline and Audrey from China. She was active in their schools, clubs, and the Bay-area Chinese adoption community, and enthusiastically supported her daughters’ many activities, including soccer, piano, chorus, theater, and debate.

Lori was passionate about community organizing in the East Bay. She was chair of the group Sustainable El Cerrito, was instrumental in the effort to restore and reopen the Cerrito Theater (an abandoned Art Deco movie house) and served on the campaigns of several area politicians. In 2019 she was active in the East Bay branch of Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.

Lori was an avid collector of anything – books, recipes, artwork, photos – involving beans, and the family home was known to friends and relatives as “The Bean Inn,” a home she filled with creativity and laughter and love.

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I only met Lori a few times but she was very kind. I was glad to send my small 3-d postcard collection to her. I am sure she will be missed greatly by all. Take care Rob and your family. Love and peace to you all.

Lori and I worked together on the Buttigieg campaign and she was so dedicated and organized and passionate. I really appreciated her dedication to this campaign. While I did not know Lori well, she was a joy to volunteer with and will be missed in our Buttigieg grassroots community.

Sending sincere condolences to Lori’s husband Rob and daughters Maddie and Audrey. I had the good fortune of working with Lori for the ECHS soccer team. She always lended a helping hand and was generous with her time to the needs of the the soccer team, as it was nearly entirely parent supported. I remember her warmly as a great Soccer Mom, who attended all of the ECHS games. Always a great cheerleader for the Lady Gauchos. Fondly, Lisa Berrios-Foley (Parent of Megan Foley, ECHS 2015)

A strong feeling of kindness comes to mind when I think of Lori!

Dear Rob, Madeline and Audrey: I was saddened to read the post on Facebook today about Lori's passing. I am sending you my love and condolence. I have wonderful memories of Lori during your adoption journey and felt honored to have known her. I will always remember her beautiful smile! Sincerely, Xiaoqing Cai

Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.

So sorry Rob that Lori is not physically in your life anymore. I know they live in our heart and souls. Love to you and your family, Barb

Lori was such a warm, friendly, positive person, and a great homeschooling and regular-schooling mom. She was interested in so many things; together with our children we enjoyed whale watching, musical performances at Cal Performances and Crowden, fruit-tree grafting, Saturday movies at the El Cerrito Theatre, park days with other homeschoolers, lunches at the culinary institute on the Contra Costa College campus, and music nights at Cafe Leila, when Rob would perform with his friends. My husband, Mike, and I were so fortunate to have Lori, Rob, Madeline, and Audrey include us in their family - they welcomed our toddler daughter, Kelly, into their home, and watched her for many years. Kelly loved going to Lori’s - she enjoyed cooking at their house (even as a young child), going out to dinner with their family, having sleepovers at their home, and even going on vacation with them. I admired her creativity; Lori always found great furniture on Buy Nothing, and when we visited their home there was often a new layout to behold. She was also social and hoped to make a difference through politics, hosting presidential debate-watching parties downstairs at her house, and Pete Buttigieg parties at Mountain Mike’s Pizza. Lori was such an engaged mom, taking Madeline and Audrey to piano and chorus, soccer, volleyball, and debate practice, helping Madeline start her baking and catering business when she was very young, and taking Audrey to the "Stanford Splash" and to meet Hillary Clinton. She was proud of both of her daughters’ accomplishments, and spoke of them often. Lori’s love for Madeline, Audrey, and Rob was apparent. I valued our friendship, and her presence in our lives as we raised families together. I miss her.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.