Mrs. Gay L. Fakkema, 66, a longtime resident of Whidbey Island, died in Mount Vernon on Sunday Oct. 20, 2013, of an undetected aneurism.

She was born at Oak Knowll Hospital in Oakland, Calif., on Jan. 29, 1947.

She is the daughter of Lloyd and Florine Veldman and has two older siblings, Sandra Rodriguez and Nancy Wetherbee.

She graduated from West Covina High School in West Covina, Calif., with the class of 1964.

In 1966, she married her first husband, John Hines, and in 1974 they moved to Oak Harbor with their young family.

She worked as a school bus driver for the Oak Harbor School District for over 30 years.

Following the death of her husband, Gay married her second husband, Robin Fakkema, on July 16, 1993 ,in Reno, Nev.

Gay earned her Associates Degree from Skagit Valley College in 2000 at the age of 53 and they continued to live happily in Oak Harbor following her retirement in 2002.

Gay loved nature and was fond of bird watching and her beloved standard poodle Gracie.

She was also passionate about knitting and her sock machines, attending retreats and conventions all over Western Washington with her wide circle of hobbyist friends.

Survivors are husband, Robin Fakkema of Oak Harbor; one son and his wife, Kirk and Christina Hines of Clarksville, Tenn., and his two sons, Lance and Justin Hines; a daughter, Nikole Hines of Burlington, and her daughter, Scarlett Hines of Houston, Texas; and the youngest daughter, Brie Hylton, of Burlington, her husband, Donald, and their son, Wyatt.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, parents and oldest sister.

Private family grave side service will be held.

A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Wallin Funeral Home followed with a reception.

Memorials may be given to the ASPCA at www.aspca.org/secure/memorial or ASPCA Tributes, 520 8th Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Arrangements are under the Care of Kern Funeral Home.

You may share your memories of Gay and sign her online guest register at www.kernfuneralhome.com