Lance Jorn Dakin

L. Jorn Dakin, age 84, passed away peacefully on September 24, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 57 years, Louise Liu Dakin, and his parents Melvin Gerald Dakin and Myrtle Anderson Dakin.

He was the proud father of his children Linnea Liu Dakin (Christopher Wilhem) of Los Angeles, California, and Bjorn Dakin (Elizabeth) of Allison Park, Pennsylvania, and proud grandfather of Paul and Joy. He is also survived by his dear sister Karen Dakin Calderon, sister-in-law Ann Lyons, and many cherished nieces and nephews.

Jorn was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was a lifelong scholar, starting with high school at University Laboratory School (at LSU), then the University of Michigan where he met Louise, to the University of Chicago for his JD, MBA, and doctoral work in Economics, and even in retirement at George Mason University for his LLM. Along the way, he taught at Kansas University in Lawrence and the University of North Florida in Jacksonville before ultimately settling into a career as an attorney with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, DC.

He was a loyal friend, staying interested in and keeping in touch with the many friends he met during his life, from childhood to classmates to colleagues to neighbors. He was a devoted volunteer, from the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, DC to his children's many activities. In retirement, he was able to travel around the U.S. and enjoy the company of Louise, family, and friends.

He had many passions, including a love of reading, and was the hardest working client for his fitness trainers, well into his 80s. His family is thankful for all the care, support, and kindness he received from the staff of Commonwealth Hospice and Arden Courts North Hills most recently, and from the staffs of Concordia at Rebecca Residence, Cumberland Crossing Manor and Asbury Heights over the past several years. Altruistic to the very end, he chose to donate his body to medical science in a final effort to help others learn.

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Allison Park, Pennsylvania (available virtually for those unable to attend in person). Details will be listed at www.sperlingfuneral.com as they become available.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, DC or the Friends of the University of Michigan Gilbert & Sullivan Society [where Jorn and Louise first met working on the stage crew] at the links below .

The family can be contacted at dakinfamilycontact@gmail.com.