Dayna Pandres

Dayna Pandres passed away Monday, May 7, 2012, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Dayna was born on September 21, 1967, to Ted and Pat Holloway in Walla Walla, WA. She was a 1992 graduate of Western Washington University in Bellingham. Soon after college, Dayna moved to Alaska and met her husband, Phil Pandres; the couple made their home in Eagle River valley with their daughter, Jade. Dayna worked for the Anchorage School District beginning in 1994 at Aurora Elementary. She worked at both Homestead and Ravenwood elementary schools, joining Homestead full time in 1995 as a special education teacher of students in kindergarten through third grade. In 2007, she was named Teacher of the Year for the entire district.

Dayna was known amongst family and friends as a strong, compassionate person who touched so many lives in positive ways. Homestead Elementary Principal Barbara Nagengast said, "Dayna has been a much-beloved, long-time member of the Homestead community as our Special Education Resource teacher working with our primary students. While the number of students who received direct services from her was small, her impact on many students was great! She was in and out of classrooms and the building making sure that every student was recognized and welcomed to school."

Dayna's family said, "Dayna loved spending time with her husband and daughter and other family members. She loved to plant flowers, garden, and travel."

Dayna is survived by her husband, Phil Pandres; their daughter, Jade Pandres; mother Patricia Holloway; father Ted Holloway and his wife Sabina; brother Merrit Holloway; sister Tedra Bromps; and numerous grieving relatives who will miss her very much.