Gretchen Renee Muller
Gretchen (Greta) Renee Muller passed away peacefully from complications due to cancer on October 30th. Born in Los Angeles, California, she was the first of four children who blessed Timothy and Nancy Muller.
Gretchen grew up in Marin County and enjoyed family camping trips, summers in Healdsburg, and classic cinema. Her love of camping and the Sierras led her to become a cook on Sierra Club service trips several summers and a member of the Oakland Ski Club.
Gretchen was a proud Cal Bear who graduated from UC Berkeley in 1983 with a BA in Geology. She went on to earn a teaching credential and an MA in Education.
Gretchen was a leader in math education. Her various roles included teaching, developing curriculum for middle and high schools, designing and conducting teacher training workshops locally and around the country. She served as Executive Secretary of the California Math Council and President of California Math CouncilNorth.
For the past fifteen years, Gretchen came alive at UC Berkeley’s summer camp Lair of the Bear corralling her nieces and nephews, hosting wine and cheese parties, arranging party boats, and co-creating a loving community. Her joyful energy will remain with Camp Gold Week 7 for years to come.
Gretchen also enjoyed and mastered many hobbies. Whether knitting, gardening, cooking, creative tie dyeing, or coming up with the best disco bingo costume, few could match the quality of her creative work.
Gretchen was loved and admired by all who knew her and was a tremendously loyal and supportive sister, daughter, aunt, and friend. Her nine nieces and nephews, loved her so deeply that they considered Greta their “second mother”.
Greta is survived by her loving father, Tim, three siblings, Brian, Liz and Charlie, her sister-in-law, Julie, her cherished nieces and nephews: Katherine, Shane, Will, Abby, Kitt, Caroline, Maddy, Charlie and Emmy, many cousins and friends, and her loyal dog, Blue.
She will be remembered fondly for her generosity, love of laughter, kindness, silliness, many talents and, of course, her holiday cookies. Quite simply, Gretchen is irreplaceable! Her family and friends trust she is being welcomed to a more peaceful place and loved by her mom and favorite cousin, Kathryn, who also left us too early.