Anne Chase Sabin Dahl

Anne Chase Sabin Dahl died peacefully on June 30, 2025, at home in Montana’s Swan Valley. An active outdoorswoman and environmental advocate, Anne’s life was deeply rooted in nature, community, and family.

 

Born April 15, 1945, in Tacoma, Washington, Anne spent her childhood on the beaches of her family’s Wollochet Bay home, the Puget Sound waters, and surrounding Cascade and Olympic ranges. These settings and a family of artists, intellectuals, and outdoor enthusiasts were formative.

 

Anne attended the University of Vermont and the University of Washington, earning a BA in English Literature. In college, Anne ski patrolled at Washington’s Crystal Mountain. Continuing in the ski industry, she taught in Aspen, Colorado, where she started her family.

 

Eventually settling in Montana’s Swan Valley as co-owner of a brochure distribution service, Anne traveled the state extensively and became enamored by its wild beauty, leading to her conservation efforts. She helped found the Swan Valley Ecosystem Management and Learning Center serving as its Executive Director for 17 years. Her technical writing secured grants, and her calm yet determined disposition made a positive impact in the valley’s forests and community. As Program Coordinator for the Swan Valley Historical Society, she recorded oral histories of local residents, including several original homesteaders - work she found especially meaningful.

 

Throughout her career, Anne championed environmental stewardship and preserved the rich history of the regions she treasured. She was an integral team member of the Elk Creek Conservation Area and Montana Legacy Projects. In 2025, Anne received the Bud Moore Conservation Award, the Missoula County Land Stewardship Award, and the Swan Valley Foundation Community Service Award.

 

Anne enjoyed boating, swimming, and kayaking the rivers, lakes, and inlets of the northwest. Skiing, hiking, and backpacking in Washington’s Cascades, Colorado’s White River National Forest, Montana’s Mission and Swan ranges, and Nepal’s Himalayas fulfilled Anne’s high-country soul. She consistently outpaced fellow hikers and skiers who happily, and with full confidence in her navigational skills, followed in her wake.

 

A gifted naturalist, Anne had a keen ear for bird song. She identified peaks, trees, wildflowers, and animal tracks with accuracy. She respected wildlife and understood she was a guest in their ecosystem.

 

Anne expressed creativity through her art and craftswomanship. Natty Bumpo, Anne’s satirical cartoon, ran weekly in the Seeley Swan Pathfinder for 14 years. Anne’s baskets, beetle-kill pine furniture, and hand-laid slatework fill her home. She curated a gallery of her mother’s paintings, woodblock prints, and sculptures. Anne maintained a rich library and map collection, reflecting voracious reading, a quest for knowledge, and an adventurous, thoughtful life well-lived.

 

Above all, Anne cherished family, taking tremendous pride in her grandchildren. Anne is lovingly remembered by her children Kristin Dahl Horejsi (Martin Horejsi) and Peter Tor Dahl (Joanna Shaw); grandchildren Anna Horejsi, Lukas Horejsi, Nels Dahl, and Ollie Dahl; brothers Peter Sabin (DiAnne Sabin) and Paul Sabin; nieces and nephews Erin Sabin, Reid Sabin, Leslie Sabin, and Jesse Sabin; and her rescue dog, Quill. Anne was preceded in death by her parents, Elizabeth “Betsy” Chase and Horatio “Ray” Sabin, and beloved uncle Roger “Beanie” Chase.

 

Anne cultivated a vibrant community of friends for whom an autumn Celebration of Life will be held at her home. Her family encourages donations to the Anne Dahl Scholarship Fund at Swan Valley Connections or to Montana Public Radio.

 

May Anne’s memory continue to inspire those who witnessed her fearless spirit, felt her kindhearted compassion, and joined in her laughter to live with purpose, gently on the land.