Dennis Richard Gafvert

Aug 22, 1963 - July 16, 2021

Dennis Gafvert - father, outdoorsman, and avid Bay Area sports fan - passed away unexpectedly on July 16th, 2021 at his home in Bend, Oregon.

Dennis was born on August 22, 1963 in Los Altos, California. His family moved to Colorado when he was 10, and as a young adult he was proud to serve as a volunteer firefighter for Frisco County as well as start his first business sweeping chimneys.

He returned to California in 1985 and began working for various brands in the outdoor industry, which would soon become his life’s calling. Growing up backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with his grandfather, Dennis cultivated a creative passion for the outdoors from a young age. He successfully passed along his zeal to hundreds of retail employees on his legendary backpacking trips. His work made him the youngest ever recipient of the Outdoor Industry Leadership Award and he went on to have an extremely successful career handling the largest US territory for The North Face.

Whether it was in his work or in his play, Dennis loved people the most. An excellent sailor, a fantastic cook, and a mediocre fisherman, Dennis’s biggest joy in life was sharing time with the people he loved. He was always willing and excited to entertain, whether it was personal friends, work friends, or all of his girls’ friends who called Westview their second home. He was a captivating storyteller, a generous friend, and the proudest father his kids could have asked for.

Dennis is survived by his daughters, Samantha Mae Gafvert and Megan Mary Gafvert, his faithful dog Buster, and his many loving family members and friends. We consider ourselves so lucky to have loved him and to have felt his love.

The family will be holding a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree in Dennis’s memory in the Sierra National Forest via A Living Tribute.