Gwain Oka, 74

Gwain Oka was born in Seattle on Sept. 30, 1948. He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and Washington State University, and much of his working career was with the City of Coeur d’Alene.

Climbing, fly fishing, skiing, backpacking … You name it, he's been there and done that at a high level. He was always eager and ready for any kind of adventure that we could dream up. Heli fishing steelhead in BC … on it. Roadless trip into North Idaho cutthroats … will do. Backcountry skiing in some crazy out-of-the-way basin … what time, organizing multi-day family rafting trips … no worries!

His numerous friends say that everyone should be lucky enough to have an adventure partner, husband, and father like Gwain whom they could always count on. Gwain and Darcy have been married for a long time and have three incredible children Jaylyn, Christina and Layton.

Gwain has been fighting ALS for a couple of years and lost his battle May 25.

We know that he is right now standing hip-deep in some incredible steelhead river somewhere … We’ll miss him every day.

Besides his wife, Darcy, and children, Gwain is survived by his brother, Gareth, and sister Lynn (Oka) Dwyer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the ALSSO or the Wild Steelhead Coalition. The ALSSO is a nonprofit that helps families living with ALS in the Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and Western Montana areas, and the Wild Steelhead Coalition focuses on fighting to conserve imperiled wild steelhead stocks.

A celebration of life memorial will be held June 17, 2023. Please contact the family directly for details.

Please view and sign Gwain's online guestbook at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.