Pauline Ryan Daniel

Pauline Ryan Daniel
(1939 - 2024)
California native and resident of several Bay Area cities including Hayward, Oakland, and San Pablo, Pauline Daniel passed away into God's hands on May 18, 2024 in the presence of her children, Sean and Marcy, and in the care of staff at Kaiser Richmond. She is survived by her brothers, Steve and Jeff Ryan, her canine life partner, Elf, as well as her beloved grandson, Oscar.
Pauline lived her life as a devoted mother and example of her faith. She listened for God and went where she felt a calling. She was a caretaker and chose to serve her community as a nurse after graduating from the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing, class of 1962. While she started in the wards, she spent most of her time as a visiting nurse and went where there was need, shouldering the risks so that she could focus on a patient's care in their individual circumstance. Those caretaker skills would lead her to other roles such as a school or summer camp nurse until retirement.
She surrounded herself with music. She was an instrument and she honed her talent. She was a "joyful noise" as a cantor and lent her soprano voice to many choirs. And if that wasn't enough, she learned to play the guitar, the piano, and a multitude of other instruments. She prayed with music. Eventually she found teaching music to elementary students to be her passion, and retired from a long career as the music teacher to children at several Catholic schools in the Oakland Diocese including St.Elizabeth, St.Pascal's, St.Cornelius, and St.Joseph's. She gave children voices and their families several volumes of cherished memories by organizing pageants, liturgies, and recitals. Just maybe she passed a few torches along the way.
Throughout her life she brought herself joy collecting antique dolls and glass figurines, went thrifting, adopted many dogs, and wore purple. She marveled at hummingbirds, kept a garden full of flowers, spread rainbows with prisms, and read science fiction as often as her Bible. Hugs were freely given and accepted. She left a lasting impression on all who knew her, and we will miss her.
A public memorial will be celebrated at St.Columba Catholic Church in Oakland, CA on Monday, June 17th at 11am. She will be laid to rest in St. Mary's Cemetery the next day.
--- Please wear purple to help celebrate -
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to her church Saint Columba [ ] or to the Music for Minors program [ ]