Danna Fast

Dana Fast, 94, of Lake Clear, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 17 in her home. She was born March 30, 1931 in Warsaw, Poland. Most of her relatives perished in the Holocaust, but she, her mother, brother and some cousins survived. Dana’s heartwarming survival story is published in the memoir, Good in the Midst of Evil (Rise/Clearfork, 2022).

Dana earned advanced degrees in Chemistry from Warsaw Polytechnic. Her first work was with polymers and plastics. She lived a whirlwind life as an adult, leaving Poland for Israel in October 1962 and emigrating to the US in July of 1964. Here she could not find work in her field because of her gender. She switched to biochemical research and worked at the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, and Upstate Medical Center. After moving to the Adirondacks in 1974, she worked at Trudeau Institute and the W.A. Jones Cell Science Center until she retired.

She enjoyed travel with her husband to national parks, Hawaii, Greece, and other places, but her favorite place on earth was the Adirondacks. Over the span of decades, she hosted many loved ones in her home, many of whom still call her Grandma Fast. She was always ready to share stories about her wilderness adventures.

After she retired, Dana became even more active in her community through various volunteer efforts, including working with school groups at the VIC, staffing the Butterfly House, and gardening with the Saranac Lake Village Improvement Society. She became a master gardener volunteer through the Cornell Cooperative Extension, gave talks about gardening and manned an information table at the farmers’ market. She taught how to press cabbage into kraut and other culinary and gardening skills through the Adirondack Green Circle and Local Living Venture. She helped with the native plant garden at the Paul Smiths VIC and helped start the Common Ground Community Garden in Saranac Lake. The large vegetable garden at her home provided food for the entire year, stored in the freezer during the winter. She also had lots of flowers.

Dana devoted her life to protecting God’s natural world. This led her on many outdoor adventures, including hiking all 46 Adirondack Peaks and the Coast to Coast Walk in England from Saint Bees to Robin Hoods Bay. In the last three years of her life, back pain limited her mobility. She mourned the fact that she could no longer hike in the forest, paddle the lakes, snowshoe, cross-country ski, or swim. But she still loved sharing stories about her wilderness adventures.

Dana’s life is marked by remarkable resilience. Her fortitude, love, kindness, wisdom, drive and determination are an inspiration to many. She will be remembered for her crystal-clear vision on difficult life questions, her witty and grounded sense of humor, her warm laughter, her strength and pragmatism.

She is survived by her daughter, Yvona (Yvonne) Fast, her brother Jerry Miron and his wife Joanna, her niece Sophie Miron and her nephew Michael Miron, as well as several cousins. She was predeceased by both of her husbands, Janusz Sowa and George Fast, as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. Please join us for a celebration of Dana’s life at the Paul Smiths VIC on Monday, May 26th at 5:30 PM.

Donations in Dana’s memory may be made to the Cornell Cooperative Extension (either Essex or Franklin County), the Adirondack Mountain Club, and the Local Living Venture of Canton NY in care of the funeral home.

Family and friends can share condolences and memories online at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.