Gail “Gig” Kane Owen

BELVEDERE, CA; Gail “Gig” Kane Owen passed away on Saturday, April 18, 2020, of acute cardiac arrest. Gig was born September 21, 1941, in Hartford, CN to Thomas Robert and Josephine Lawler Kane. Gig was lovingly raised by her sister Joan Kane Rarey (predeceased) after their mother died when Gig was ten.

She graduated from Mt. St. Joseph Academy in West Hartford, CN, and in 1962 graduated with honors from Chamberlayne Jr College in Boston, MA. Her first job was working for the Hartford Chamber of Commerce but she was poised and ready to spread her wings. Gig drove Route 66 to San Francisco in her 1963 bright red VW Bug and never looked back, living a jubilant life in San Francisco. She married the love of her life, Melville Owen, on October 24, 1981. They enjoyed living and entertaining in their San Francisco 1874 Victorian for many years before moving to Belvedere.

Gig began her successful San Francisco hospitality career with the 1971 opening of the Stanford Court Hotel. She went on to become a sales manager with The Mark Hopkins and finished her hospitality career with a triumphant opening of the Campton Place Hotel in 1983. During a five-year hiatus from hospitality, Gig successfully opened the San Francisco office of VOLT Temporary Personnel. Gig was active on the board of Little Jim Club, the fundraising auxiliary of Children’s Hospital of San Francisco. For several years she volunteered twice a week for Project Open Hand, delivering meals to homebound AIDS patients. A founding member of the San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, Gig served as secretary and historian and hosted many club events since 1989. Gig showed remarkable endurance after an accident in 1997, resulting in the loss of a leg. With her perseverance, she became an advocate for other amputees and was active in Stumps R’ Us. Hobbies before the accident included skiing and tennis. She continued to enjoy cruising the Bay and entertaining on the family’s 1929 classic motor vessel, Pat Pending. She also reveled in counseling young people toward a career in hospitality. She could often be found at the San Francisco Yacht Club relishing a round of dominoes with Mel and friends.

She was known for her infectious smile, boundless energy and enthusiasm. Her kindness, generosity, and positive approach to life was remarkable. Gig was renowned for remembering every name - man, woman, child, dog, and cat. She had an uncanny ability to make others feel good about themselves thus having an enormous and indelible impact.

While she had no children of her own, she is survived by her husband and his five adult children, their spouses, and five grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews from her extended East Coast family.

There are no services planned at this time. Donations may be made in her name to Food Runners, Project Open Hand, or one of your local favorite charities such as the Belvedere Community Foundation, Belvedere/Tiburon Library Foundation, or 10,000 Degrees.