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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Habitat for Humanity volunteers raise walls and hope for Medford family ... Gold Hill residents say city dawdled as streets flooded ... El Nino's effects remain uncertain for Southern Oregon ... Habitat for Humanity volunteers raise walls and hope for Medford family ... Gold Hill residents say city dawdled as streets flooded ... El Nino's effects remain uncertain for Southern Oregon ... Gary Dahl Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 1, 2015 at 7:43 AM Updated Apr 1, 2015 at 10:54 AM Posted Apr. 1, 2015 at 7:43 AM Updated Apr 1, 2015 at 10:54 AM » Social News Gary Dahl Creator of The Pet Rock Gary Ross Dahl passed away March 23, 2015. Dahl, a long-time San Jose advertising executive, will be forever remembered as the creator of the wildly successful marketing enigma, The Pet Rock. Dahl was born December 18, 1936 in Bottineau, N.D. to Lavonne and Arnold Dahl and raised in Spokane, Wash. Upon getting out of the United States Marine Corps, and a brief stint at Washington State University, Dahl began his career in the advertising business designing signs in San Diego and doing architectural renderings for San Jose property developments. He started an advertising agency in Campbell then became a copywriter for San Jose advertising firms, Coakley Hagerty and Darien, Russell, Hill. Dahl married Marguerite Wood in 1974. They lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains with their many animals. During this time, Dahl developed his idea of a training manual for rocks. He and designer Pat Welch designed a pet-like carrying case, complete with straw and rock and "how-to train your pet rock" manual. The product was taken to the San Francisco Gift Show in 1976 and was an instant hit. Dahl then went to the New York and Los Angeles Gift Shows and became an instant celebrity. Newsweek picked up the story and the Pet Rock was born with sales to Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and hundreds of stores throughout the country. The phenomena is still taught in college marketing classes and spoken of often in conjunction with other fads like the Hula Hoop. For several years after the Pet Rock craze, Dahl consulted other inventors. He continued in the advertising business, joining as a partner of the firm he had previously worked for, Darien, Russell, Hill, and Dahl. After the passing of the partners, he started Gary Dahl Creative Services. He also published "Advertising for Dummies." Dahl won the international creative writing Bulwer-Lytton contest in 2000. Dahl designed and built the Carry Nations Saloon in Los Gatos. An avid sailor on the San Francisco Bay, he was a Vice Commodore of Metropolitan Yacht Club and Commodore of the Los Gatos Yacht Club. He was also active in San Jose Symphony, Opera San Jose, and San Jose Museum of Art. Dahl and his wife of 40 years, Marguerite, retired from Los Gatos and moved to Jacksonville, Ore. in 2006. In addition to his wife, Marguerite, he leaves behind a sister, Candace Dahl of Spokane, Wash.; daughter, Chris Nunez (Andy); son, Eric Dahl (Joni); daughter, Samantha Leighton (Jason), grandchildren, Carly, Emilie, Evan, Chase, Rory, Maggie, and Max; and step-daughter, Vicki Pershing (Steve) and her children, Dylan and Connor. A Neptune Society Memorial will be held on the San Francisco Bay in May. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 1, 2015 at 7:43 AM Updated Apr 1, 2015 at 10:54 AM You may leave your condolences or share memories by signing the Guest Book here » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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